Common Sense Media, a parental review site gives it an "iffy at best" rating for young kids.
Their review notes:
Parents need to know that, even though Nickelodeon is touting this animated series as "a new twist on the classic family sitcom that tweens and their parents can both enjoy," it's pretty iffy viewing for kids. For one thing, it's a little cheeky when it comes to sexual references (a scene shows a character watching porn while he's babysitting an infant, for example -- although no sensitive body parts are shown). For another, characters occasionally use words like "bastard" and "whore," and there's also some blood-inducing cartoonish violence.
Nick at Nite's lineup of old sitcoms used to start at 9 p.m. But this August, the network announced it was "blurring the lines" between kid-oriented Nickelodeon and the more teen-skewed (actually 18-49 according their press materials) Nick at Nite because teens and tweens like to watch TV as a family. Nickelodeon's earlier bedtime isn't sitting will parents of SpongeBob fans caught off guard. The message board at Nick.com are full of complaints.
I get into a lot of debates with my colleagues in the media who are understandably nervous about any kind of censorship (especially the ones who don't have kids). But most parents I know have no problem with any kind of content on TV shows and movies -- they just want to see some fence lines. They don't want to outlaw HBO or the Playboy Channel, but please do tell parents clearly what to expect so their 6 year old won't hear cartoon characters joking about make-up sex or prostitutes at 8 on a Monday night while he's winding down for bed.
Photo: Glenn Martin, DDS, (Nickelodeon)
-- Sharon Kennedy Wynne


Sharon Kennedy Wynne has sunscreen in her blood. She may have been born in Buffalo but she got here as fast as she could, in time for kindergarten. She grew up in St. Petersburg, graduated from the University of Florida journalism school, and even got married at Sunken Gardens. She's one of the few adults we know who actually loves taking her kids to the beach. She has two sons and with 10 years of parenting under her belt, she's starting to feel a little less out of her league. She comes from a large family and loves to debate, so brace yourself when the hot topics come up.
Amy Hollyfield is a workaholic mother of two young
daughters, blessed to have a work-at-home husband who makes their life possible. She was born in Detroit and moved around a lot as a kid (read: Air Force brat). She has lived in Florida since the month after she
graduated from Northwestern University. She lives for the yelps, hugs and kisses that greet her on nights that she makes it home before bedtime.
Sherry Robinson was born in the Sunshine State but she feels more comfortable inside a mall than outside at the beach -- thank goodness her husband is the outdoorsy type. He takes their two sons on night hikes, beach runs and bug hunts while Sherry does her best to take care of the homestead -- and find out what is new on the store shelves. A graduate of the University of South Florida in 19noneofyourbusiness, Sherry has been at the Times for nearly 20 years. And with nearly 10 years of parenting experience, Sherry is eager to offer up some great dish on raising kids and keeping your sanity.
Guest blogger Tracey Henry, a.k.a. Suburban Diva, is a frantic, slightly frazzled mother of four. She is a freelance humor writer and author which is the only thing that parenting four children ages 12-1 trains you for, except perhaps court jester and professional bull rider. She and her husband have lived all over the country, but settled in Florida eight years ago because the beachcombing is so much better here than on the banks of the Mississippi. Their family time includes a lot of sport -- both watching and playing -- and fun in the sun and surf. Catch her in Whoa, Momma! and on her site,
Sherri Day and her husband welcomed their daughter into the world in early 2008. So far, she describes parenthood as exciting, exhausting and exhilarating. A self-described Southern belle with small-town values and big-city idealism, Sherri was born in rural Georgia. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism from Clark Atlanta University and her master's of journalism from the University of California at Berkeley. She is the Brandon bureau chief for the Times. Sherri moved to Tampa from Brooklyn four years ago.
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