"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!

In the saga of "Grounded for Life" we have another perfect example of how many television network executives should not be allowed to make decisions more complicated than what to put in their coffee. Here was a program that was funny and relevant. I'm not a big believer in TV being responsible for teaching lessons, but in many episodes, you could laugh your way right up to lesson they snuck in under your nose.Of course one of the best lessons was a cautionary tale to young viewers, DON'T HAVE SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE...it may CAUSE marriage! It just so happens the Finnerty's have a wonderful marriage and three very normal (yeah, isn't THAT scary) kids. Sean's dad is cranky and a bit of but-in-ski, but his heart is always in the right place and brother Eddie, well let's just say, he's different. The entire cast is wonderful and definitely had a chemistry that came across as a real family. Each has strengths that mesh with the others. Kevin Corrigan as Eddie would without a doubt steal the show all together if the others didn't hold their own so well. Megyn Price, not only a fantastic actor but worth watching even if she couldn't act her way out of a paper bag.When one network dumped this show and another picked it up, I had hope, but it seemed that the network that picked it up felt the need to play around with the show and Dad and then Henry seemed to just disappear. Retooling is usually the death knell for a program and sadly it was the case here.This has gotten too long, so I'll simply conclude with hope for a reunion movie. This show was just too good and too young to die.

I'm sorry, but this show is mindless and obnoxious. What is the fascination with smart mouthed, bratty kids, and parents who put more emphasis in being their children's friend over being A PARENT?? The one and a half episodes that I was subject to watch had overly predictable plots and dialog. Two thumbs down for the show's writing staff. I wish that I could get a refund for the time that I wasted watching it. It was 45 minutes of my life that I will never get back. This show is NOT funny. It was a sad reminder of the lack of ethics and morals of our society. You could not pay me enough money to make me watch this garbage ever again.

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)