SUPERNANNY - The fightin' Doyles

Supernanny enters the war zone that is the Doyle home this week, where three kids run amok and swearing, punching, and kicking are the order of the day.  If they're going to survive to reach their thirties, young parents Brandy and Dwight Doyle need Jo Frost's brand of British tough love to bring their kids under control - and possibly some protective gear.

Seriously, the three Doyle kids are completely out of hand.  5 year old Sara hits like a boxer, screams like a heavy metal singer, and swears like a dock worker.  3 year old Lizzie is following in her big sister's footsteps and has a possible future in the world of mixed martial arts.  20 month old Andrew emulates his sister's behavior and flavors his tantrums with a seasoning of crying and whining.  This trio of tiny terrors would be a handful for any parents, and at the start of the episode they have their ill-equipped parents on the ropes.

That's where Supernanny comes in.

After an observation day that consists of plenty of eye rolling and disapproving shakes of the head from Supernanny, she drops the hammer on the Doyles.  Mom needs to put the vacuum down and spend more quality time with her kids, who are so restless and unstimulated that they've grown violent.  Dad needs to plug into the family instead of plopping down on the couch after a hard day at work.  With a lot of effort and some Supernanny tips, they might just be able to turn their kids' behavior around, but they're going to need to make some major changes in their lives.

It's an uphill battle.  To test their new parenting techniques and the efficacy of their Naughty Chair discipline method, Supernanny makes them invite another family over for a playdate.  Things spiral out of control and the girls end up on the Naughty Chair.  That's when the swearing begins -- big time.  I don't know what little Sara says, but judging from the reaction of the guests it is spectacularly profane.  They take their kids and flee.

OK, that didn't go so well. 

When Brandy and Dwight hire a babysitter so they can get some quality time as husband and wife, the true test begins.  Will the Doyle munchkins behave or will they eat the babysitter alive?  Pick option B.  When Jo and the parents return home, they find the babysitter in hysterics - she's just endured several hours of cruel and unusual punishment from the kids and is teetering on the edge of sanity.  Seriously, she is going to need counseling.  Hey, at least the house didn't burn down.

In the end, Supernanny leaves the Doyle family with some solid ground rules and a framework of discipline for their kids.  The parents seem more plugged into the situation and seem to have a fighting chance of turning their kids' behavior around.  It's going to take a concerted effort over time, but with some consistency and patience, they'll survive.

I hope.

--Dave Campbell

Comments

[margstype]

I'm sorry, but these "reality" based shows have absolutely no appeal to me, especially Supernanny! I raised my kids and I really have no desire to see these bratty kids and inept parents. It's not entertaining! It amazes me that shows like this are kept and truly delightful, entertaining shows like Men in Trees is dropped like a hot potato! It's a sad day in network television when they ignore a large faction of viewers' desires for quality entertainment. If all I have to choose from are reality shows, game shows, cops & lawyers and doctors, then I'll watch cable or read a book.

[JMama]

As the mother of a young child, I LOVE Supernanny, as do many other parents I know. First of all, Jo provides a lot of advice to the parents in the show that we are able to apply in our own lives, not just in terms of discipline, but also in time management, organization, certain play activities, etc; I love, too, that she teaches us ways to cope with the guilt we parents feel for going to work, needing to do work at home, being a single parent, etc. I have to confess, it's also nice to see kids that behave worse than my own does; it makes me feel like I must be doing a couple things right, in addition to the fact that it makes me appreciate my son even more for being the good kid that he is MOST of the time (or, as he says, "I'm a good boy, except when I'm not!). Supernanny is a great show and one that most everyone I know watches (including many grandparents and retired people) - we're always disappointed when Jo isn't on! I know there are many more families out there that need Jo's help, so I hope this is a show that stays on the air for a long time to come.

[Diana]

Wouldn't it be great if they added the full episodes so we can view them online? Please, add the shows, we love Supernanny!

[Catherine]

My 13 year old son and I watched the SuperNanny episode where the two teenagers were parenting the 3 younger siblings. It provided an opportunity for so such great dialogue for us! Before my son went to bed he said something so sweet. "Mom, I think the SuperNanny would be pleased if she came to our house...on or off the cameras!" I've been widowed for 6 yrs and feel as though I make good parenting choices. His comment to me was the next best thing to a compliment from Jo. I think she's awesome!