American Housewife is peak 'fine' television. It's not offensive enough to turn off, not good enough to recommend enthusiastically. The cast is game, there are genuine laughs sprinkled throughout, and it captures some real parenting moments.

But here's the problem: the entire show is built on body-shaming humor that feels dated even by 2016 standards. Katie Otto is supposed to be the relatable everywoman who rejects the superficial values of her wealthy neighbors, but the show constantly reinforces those values by making her weight and appearance the punchline. It's trying to have it both ways—critique shallow suburban culture while mining it for cheap laughs—and it doesn't quite work.

For families with teens who can critically engage with the humor and talk about why the body-image stuff is problematic, it's harmless enough. But there are so many better family sitcoms out there (The Middle, Fresh Off the Boat, even Modern Family) that deliver laughs without the uncomfortable body-shaming foundation. This one's a skip unless you've exhausted everything else on Hulu.