How to Live with Your Parents

Watch How to Live with Your Parents

  • 2013
  • 1 Season
  • 5.7  (1,951)

How to Live with Your Parents from ABC is a delightful television show that premiered in 2013. The series stars Emmy Award nominee Elizabeth Perkins, Brad Garrett, Jon Dore, Orlando Jones, and Sarah Chalke. Created by Claudia Lonow, the show only ran for one season of 13 episodes, but it has garnered a cult following due to its fresh perspective on boomerang kids.

The show follows the life of a divorced, financially struggling Polly (Sarah Chalke) who moves back in with her parents Max (Brad Garrett) and Elaine (Elizabeth Perkins) with her young daughter, Natalie (Rachel Eggleston). Max is an over-the-top, albeit lovable, man-child who struggles to move on from his divorce from Elaine. Elaine, on the other hand, is a successful businesswoman, but with limited parenting skills. Polly's desperate situation leads her to depend on her parents for help, forcing her to navigate their quirks while trying to raise her daughter in a stable environment.

One of the show's strongest qualities is its portrayal of the family dynamics. Max's antics often leave Polly, Elaine, and Natalie exasperated, but they remain mostly supportive of him despite his antics. Elaine is too busy trying to impress her friends with her business acumen to make a meaningful connection with her daughter, all while providing comedic relief as one of the funniest characters on the show. Polly, truly the show's protagonist, finds herself in a precarious situation when she moves back in with her parents. She quickly realizes that she hasn't resolved her childhood issues, and she struggles to come to terms with her parents' quirks.

Adding to the show's charm are the quirky, off-beat characters that reside in its world. The most notable of these characters is Gregg (Orlando Jones), Max's best friend, and a trust fund baby who's trying to find his calling in life. Jones brings his comedic pedigree to deliver an endearing and neurotic character who becomes one of Polly's closest friends.

Each episode of How to Live with Your Parents has its standalone story arc, and the vast majority of them are character-driven, allowing viewers to get to know these quirky characters even better. Whether it's Max trying to parent his granddaughter in his own misguided way, or Elaine struggling to bond with her deeply wounded daughter, the show consistently delivers fresh and hilarious comedic moments. The show's creators have done an excellent job of writing these characters with complex layers that allow them to be relatable despite their over-the-top antics.

The show isn't all laughs, though. It delivers some poignant and touching moments that ground the characters in reality. Polly's struggles with being a single mother are authentic, and the show doesn't shy away from exploring the financial hardships of a newly single mother living at home with her parents. The struggles of parenting are also explored, which is a refreshing take on the family sitcom format.

In conclusion, How to Live with Your Parents from ABC is a smart, funny and heartfelt show that takes the boomerang kid concept and turns it on its head. The show's refreshing take on family dynamics, outstanding writing, and endearing performances have solidified its legacy as a cult classic. Though the show was short-lived, it is undoubtedly worth a watch for anyone who wants to laugh, cry and feel connected to some of the most lovable and outlandish characters ever depicted on television.

How to Live with Your Parents is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (13 episodes). The series first aired on April 3, 2013.

How to Live with Your Parents
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Seasons
How to Be Gifted
13. How to Be Gifted
June 26, 2013
Having always felt ordinary, Polly rallies her family to help Natalie get into the gifted Magnet program, only to discover she's gifted in her own way.
How to Help the Needy
12. How to Help the Needy
June 19, 2013
When Polly becomes the life of the party at Elaine's birthday lunch, Elaine starts to feel boring. Polly intervenes and suggests she audition for a movie to boost her ego. But Polly soon realizes she's fallen into an old pattern of putting her mother's dream before her own.
How to Not Waste Money
11. How to Not Waste Money
June 12, 2013
Max helps Polly learn to follow through with things -- like Groupons that she amassed while coping with her separation from Julian.
How to Have a Playdate
10. How to Have a Playdate
June 5, 2013
Polly attempt for Natalie to fit at her new school turns sour when she arranges a playdate and Elaine tries to steal the show.
How to Get Involved
9. How to Get Involved
May 29, 2013
Elaine and Max intervene when Polly is hesitant to put herself up for a promotion and Natalie announces she's playing a "hillside" in the school play.
How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life
8. How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life
May 22, 2013
Max is anxious about the opening of his second comedy club, resulting in tension between him and Polly.
How to Stand on Your Own Two Feet
7. How to Stand on Your Own Two Feet
May 15, 2013
In her effort to be independent, Polly decides to go back to school and make something of herself.
How to Fix Up Your Ex
6. How to Fix Up Your Ex
May 8, 2013
Natalie persuades Polly into helping Julian find a date.
How to Run the Show
5. How to Run the Show
May 1, 2013
Elaine and Max offer to babysit so Polly can go out with Scott, but they soon learn a lesson in parenting when Natalie disappears.
How to Not Screw Up Your Kid
4. How to Not Screw Up Your Kid
April 24, 2013
Natalie invents a bully as a way of dealing with her parent's divorce.
How to Live with the Academy Awards Party
3. How to Live with the Academy Awards Party
April 17, 2013
The family celebrate the Academy Awards - which is treated as their favorite holiday.
How to Get off the Couch
2. How to Get off the Couch
April 10, 2013
When Polly injures herself while training for a 5K, her parents step in to take care of Natalie. Elaine finds herself in an awkward situation with Natalie's classmates when they ask her to explain heaven and religion.
Pilot
1. Pilot
April 3, 2013
If you think visiting your parents is painful, try moving back in with them. Sometimes you have to move home to move on, and that's what Polly is about to do.
Description
Where to Watch How to Live with Your Parents
How to Live with Your Parents is available for streaming on the ABC website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch How to Live with Your Parents on demand at Amazon, Vudu, Google Play and Apple TV.
  • Premiere Date
    April 3, 2013
  • IMDB Rating
    5.7  (1,951)