Classic series with a sense of humor tackles racial issues.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
very little
Contains subtle references to smoking pot. Former First Lady Nancy Reagan appears in an episode promoting her “Just Say No” to drugs campaign. Drinking is occasionally visible.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Contains occasional references to hitting, kicking, and punching people out. Also contains references to stealing. One episode deals with child kidnapping.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Positive messages are embedded into each show, as the family explores the complexities of being kids and teens, and of being an interracial and non-traditional family. Some of the race-related humor is not politically correct according to today’s social values.
Positive Role Models
very little
Mr. Drummond is a single father committed to raising his daughter and the Jackson boys. Willis watches out for his younger brother; Kimberly considers the boys to be her brothers. (The three young cast members are infamous for their controversial personal lives.)
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this classic comedy series addresses racial issues, including interracial adoption and racism. Occasional episodes also address pedophilia, sexual assault, drugs, and bulimia. Some of the humor may not be considered politically correct by today's standards. The child actors who starred in this show eventually encountered criminal or drug-related problems.
The last few years have seen a resurgence of classic sitcoms on various TV stations, including Diff'rent Strokes. I was introduced to this while channel-surfing as a teen and am glad to see it back. Phil Drummond is a loving dad, though he struggles with how best to raise his adopted sons Willis and Arnold. Fortunately, he has plenty of backup from daughter Kimberly and a string of housekeepers throughout the season, including the illustrious Charlotte Rae as Mrs. Garrett. The family tackles classic sitcom plots and reaffirms their love for each other often.
This show was set in the '70s and '80s, so a lot of episodes are issue-driven, tackling problems and changes relevant to the time. These include racial tension, disability and accessibility, school policies, drugs, and pornography. The tough ones are handled with much more discretion than you'd see today, but some plots are still not suitable for young children. Some of the episodes dealing with race get mildly violent or contain threats thereof. A couple of episodes show kidnappings, and child sexual exploitation is alluded to once. One episode shows Kimberly struggling with bulimia.
Parents may raise eyebrows at some values dissonance. For example, spanking is considered acceptable. Drummond and other adults regularly drink and justify their behavior while telling teens not to indulge. Gender roles are still very traditional, as is child-rearing. For instance, in one episode, a small boy is scolded and shamed for wetting his bed. But if your family is prepared to discuss these, and wants a mostly clean laugh, come on up to the Drummonds' apartment.
Katherine R.Parent of 8, 10, 14, 18+, 18+ and 5-year-old
March 13, 2024
age 11+
What's the Story?
DIFF'RENT STROKES (1978-1985) is a groundbreaking classic comedy series that approaches racial issues with a sense of humor. When widower Phillip Drummond's (Conrad Bain) long-time housekeeper dies, he assumes guardianship of her two sons, Willis and Arnold Jackson (Todd Bridges and Gary Coleman respectively), and raises them as his own. As the African-American boys adjust to their new life in a Manhattan penthouse apartment with a white family who includes older sister Kimberly (Dana Plato), and eccentric housekeeper Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae), the family must face some of the challenges that come with raising two boys, as well as being an interracial family in a primarily white community. Life is never dull in the Drummond household, but together they show everyone that there are different strokes for different folks.
The comedy series touches upon some of the issues surrounding race in America in the 1970s, including class distinctions and interracial adoptions. Later seasons of the show also address some other strong subjects, including pedophilia, sexual assault, eating disorders, and drugs. Some of the humor used to have these conversations, including some now famous one liners uttered by Coleman's character, isn't very politically correct by today's standards. But these jokes shed some light on how American society was coping with these issues at the time.
Classic television fans will surely enjoy it, but part of the attraction might also stem from the notoriety of its three young cast members, all of whom have been major sources of tabloid fodder over the last several decades. Nonetheless, the overall series has made a notable contribution to American television. It's also pretty funny, too.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about classic TV shows. What makes a television show a classic? Why do some of these series remain popular despite containing dated material and/or themes and humor that may not be politically correct according to today's social values?
Should child actors and/or young celebrities be viewed as role models? If so, what are some of the consequences when a child actor grows up and gets into trouble and/or leads a difficult life?
What are some of the issues surrounding race and interracial families in America today? The adoption of non-white children by celebs like Madonna, Sandra Bullock, and Angelina Jolie have been prominently discussed in the media. What are some of the issues surrounding these adoptions? Do you think their children's race made their adoptions noteworthy? How do you think the media would have talked about these events 30 years ago?
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Melissa Camacho
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
