Bea Swanson
This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.
Myron Clemons
A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.
Erica Derrick
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
meliajane19
"Grounded for Life" has to be one of my favorite comedy shows of all time, just because of the random and hilarious situations that the various eccentric and unique characters seem to always wind up in. The youngest son Henry swallows a lizard. The father Sean dresses up as an old grandmother because he can't change a flat tire. A cat gets buried in the grave designated for the mother Claudia. All this is normal for the dysfunctional Finnerty family, an Irish-Catholic family living in Staten Island, NY.The acting is also very good--the actors all act believably like a real family. The characters all have their own personalities and quirks, from the brooding Uncle Eddie to Sister Helen who seems to show up in the strangest spots. This is sounding pretty old, but I also like the fact that the actresses who play Lily and Claudia are both really pretty and are not a size 2. These are REAL people, not just skinny stereotypes. My personal favorite happens to be Brad, the son of the Finnertys' next-door neighbors the O'Keefes and Lily's boyfriend for part of the series.Also, GFL is plain FUNNY. The dialogue is witty, and watching all the characters talk and interact on screen is hilarious. The episodes are also presented in clever ways--they usually start off with the family members discussing some type of problem, and then the events leading up to this are revealed through flashbacks. It is a refreshing and interesting way to watch a show.GFL is still one of the few shows that can make me laugh out loud, and will always remain one of my personal favorites. Definitely check it out on ABC Family. :) Love it!
beckyandcutie
I really like " Grounded for Life." It is a very simple comedy, which thanks to talented script writers and actors, is totally hilarious. I love this show because of how realistic and UN-PC it is. With a lot of sitcoms or shows the children are not realistic, the parents way to soft, the situations ridiculous and then the horror of sitcom horrors . . . ALL PROBLEMS ARE ENDED WITH A HUG!!!!!!! You know how stupid that seems when absolutely NO sane households are that sensitive? The strictest Mormon will even find that bizarre. That is why " Grounded for Life" is such a great show. The situations are so hilarious and perfect, and the message comes across clearly in identifiable situations that regular people can associate themselves with. I applaud the actors, director and anyone who was involved with this. It makes my afternoons from 4-5 PM (and my parents' afternoon) much more entertaining.
pumpkinsteph
This show was just recently added to ABC Family's afternoon lineup, along with shows like Full House, Boy Meets World, and Gilmore Girls. I had never ever heard of it before, but I figured it would be halfway decent since it was in a lineup with other great shows. However, I don't like this show at all. The story lines are never realistic, I don't find the material funny at all, and the characters are just plain pathetic, especially the role of Lily. She's the teenager in the story and her character is ridiculous. I like for TV shows to be somewhat realistic; this one doesn't even come close. Don't waste your time watching this show.
thetoygeek
so this is'nt Malcolm in the middle...it's grounded for life, which is a pretty good show. it is now in it's fourth year on TV and it fills the Friday 8:30 PM slot just fine. i would guess that it won't be everybody's cup of tea, but give it a shot and i'm sure you'll find it quite funny. the actress who plays claudia is played by Megan Pryce, just watching her alone is worth the show, finally TV has a beautiful woman that is not under 106 lbs. for those of us in our 30's who are raising a family, i am sure you will find this program worth the watch. the Finnerty's get my vote for a Friday night viewing! hope you like them as well. WB Friday nights at 8:30PM (as of 10/4/04)
