When I heard that Melissa Joan Hart & Joey Lawrence were teaming up for a new sitcom on ABC Family, I was excited! I enjoyed Ms. Hart as both Clarissa (she explained it all!) and Sabrina the teenage witch. I’ve been watching Joey from a cute little guy on Gimme A Break to a good looking teenager on Blossom.

Yes, I used to watch a lot of television. A LOT of television. I used to be able to tell you not only what day of the week it was, but the time of day within 15 minutes based solely on what was on tv at the moment.

All that has changed, and I rarely watch anything these days. If something piques my interest, I usually visit pluggedin online to read reviews and find out if any bad language, sex or nudity are involved. Melissa & Joey had not yet been reviewed, but I figured since it was on ABC Family it should be okay. Well! I was in for a surprise.

The show revolves around Mel and Joe. Mel is a local politician who suddenly becomes guardian to her niece and nephew when her sister is sent to prison. Joe is who is newly out of work, his condo, and perhaps his marriage thanks to Mel’s on the lam brother-in-law. Joe winds up playing nanny for the two teens in exchange for a small salary plus room and board.

Reminiscent of Who’s the Boss? or The Nanny, this show is rife with sexual innuendo and some language. In the first episode alone:

• Joe refers to Mel’s search for a nanny being limited to V****a (female anatomy) Americans.
• Mel gets a call from her niece’s school, informing her that the girl was suspended for writing a poem about the school administrator, rhyming Ms. Lundt’s name with something inappropriate. Children, by nature, will go through the alphabet trying each letter until they figure it out by a parent’s GASP!
• Mel goes out on a date & comes in unapologetically at 3 a.m.
• Mel makes a comment about Joe pulling competence out of his a**.
• Joe lies about his experience with children.
• Substitute words are used for curses: screw it, friggin’, crap, etc.

I wanted to give it a fair chance and started watching the second episode, as I tend to be more critical than most when it comes to so-called entertainment. More euphemisms, innuendo, and a reference to a video made by Mel’s ex-boyfriend of them, and I turned it off.

I am disappointed because once again, a television network is catering to the crude masses instead of families with morals and values. I give a BIG thumbs down to ABC Family, Melissa Joan Hart, and Joey Lawrence for this one.

One last warning for you parents, just in case you think this show is only seen in prime time, think again. I saw these episodes this afternoon, when kids would be coming home from school.

Philippians 4:7-8  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.