The Upshaws
The Upshaws
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
0/5
None
Fear
0/5
None
Sexuality
2/5
Mild
Language
2/5
Moderate
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
1/5
Mild
Expert review
The Upshaws is a family sitcom about a working class household, with a mostly humorous and energetic tone built around everyday chaos, arguments, and affection between relatives. The sensitive material comes less from fear or physical danger and more from adult centered situations, including marital strain, co parenting conflict, family resentment, and occasional relationship based innuendo that younger children are unlikely to understand well. The intensity is moderate and there is little visually upsetting content, but these themes appear regularly because they are part of the show's core comic setup and assume some social maturity from the viewer. The dialogue can also include sarcasm, bickering, and mild to moderate insults, especially during family disagreements. For parents, the main issue is not scary imagery, but the fact that the humor and situations are aimed more at older children, teens, and adults than very young viewers. I would recommend it for viewers old enough to understand that verbal conflict and flawed behavior are being used for comedy, and for parents to be ready to explain relationship tension and family responsibility if watching with younger kids.
Synopsis
Bennie Upshaw, the head of a Black working class family in Indianapolis, is a charming, well-intentioned mechanic and lifelong mess just trying his best to step up and care for his family and tolerate his sardonic sister-in-law, all without a blueprint for success.
Difficult scenes
A large part of the comedy comes from adult arguments, especially within the couple and with the sarcastic sister in law. These exchanges can be sharp, with blame, irony, and mild humiliation, which may make a young child feel the home is more hostile than the sitcom tone actually intends. The show regularly refers to a complicated family structure, since the father is also trying to care for a son from another relationship. This leads to conversations about past infidelity, jealousy, trust, and parental responsibility, which are realistic topics but are better suited to viewers who already have some understanding of adult relationships. Some episodes revolve around everyday struggles such as money problems, work pressure, health issues, or feeling unable to provide enough for the family. Even though these situations are handled comedically, they can feel abstract for very young children and more meaningful for preteens who can understand family stress.
Where to watch
Availability checked on Apr 03, 2026
About this title
- Format
- TV series
- Year
- 2021
- Countries
- United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Regina Y. Hicks, Wanda Sykes
- Main cast
- Mike Epps, Kim Fields, Wanda Sykes, Khali Spraggins, Journey Christine, Jermelle Simon
- Studios
- Push It Productions, Naptown Productions, Savannah Sweet Productions
Content barometer
Violence
0/5
None
Fear
0/5
None
Sexuality
2/5
Mild
Language
2/5
Moderate
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
1/5
Mild
Expert review
The Upshaws is a family sitcom about a working class household, with a mostly humorous and energetic tone built around everyday chaos, arguments, and affection between relatives. The sensitive material comes less from fear or physical danger and more from adult centered situations, including marital strain, co parenting conflict, family resentment, and occasional relationship based innuendo that younger children are unlikely to understand well. The intensity is moderate and there is little visually upsetting content, but these themes appear regularly because they are part of the show's core comic setup and assume some social maturity from the viewer. The dialogue can also include sarcasm, bickering, and mild to moderate insults, especially during family disagreements. For parents, the main issue is not scary imagery, but the fact that the humor and situations are aimed more at older children, teens, and adults than very young viewers. I would recommend it for viewers old enough to understand that verbal conflict and flawed behavior are being used for comedy, and for parents to be ready to explain relationship tension and family responsibility if watching with younger kids.
Synopsis
Bennie Upshaw, the head of a Black working class family in Indianapolis, is a charming, well-intentioned mechanic and lifelong mess just trying his best to step up and care for his family and tolerate his sardonic sister-in-law, all without a blueprint for success.
Difficult scenes
A large part of the comedy comes from adult arguments, especially within the couple and with the sarcastic sister in law. These exchanges can be sharp, with blame, irony, and mild humiliation, which may make a young child feel the home is more hostile than the sitcom tone actually intends. The show regularly refers to a complicated family structure, since the father is also trying to care for a son from another relationship. This leads to conversations about past infidelity, jealousy, trust, and parental responsibility, which are realistic topics but are better suited to viewers who already have some understanding of adult relationships. Some episodes revolve around everyday struggles such as money problems, work pressure, health issues, or feeling unable to provide enough for the family. Even though these situations are handled comedically, they can feel abstract for very young children and more meaningful for preteens who can understand family stress.