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According to Jim

According to Jim

2001–2009Ended8 seasons182 episodes~30 min/epTV-PGMidcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

Jim is the typical all-American guy — a macho "everyman" — with a soft spot for his beautiful wife and children. Jim's boyish bravado and humorous antics keep a certain level of turmoil in their home, but there's never a doubt that this "opposites attract" couple are in their marriage for keeps!

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch According to Jim?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists According to Jim streaming on Disney+ and Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about According to Jim?

According to Jim earns 3 badges, led by Fun and Preferred by Men.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is According to Jim worth watching?

According to Jim's Midcredits score is the 28th percentile of all shows, from 41K ratings across 2 sources. 61% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

28th percentile

Better received than 28% of shows

26th percentile among Comedy24th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)26th
Approval (how many liked it)33rd

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

65 /100

26th percentile of all shows

26th percentile among Comedy23rd percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

61% liked it

33rd percentile of all shows

28th percentile among Comedy28th percentile among 2000s
61% rated it 7–1039% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

96th percentile

41K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Comedy93rd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is a formulaic, old-school family sitcom built around a flawed, macho husband who gets into predictable messes with his buddy and learns a lesson by the end.

Fans praised

  • Jim Belushi's comedic timing and delivery
  • Chemistry between Jim Belushi and Courtney Thorne-Smith
  • Light, family-friendly, wholesome humor

Detractors panned

  • Jim's selfish, manipulative, unsympathetic character
  • Stale, predictable, recycled writing and plots
  • Unbelievable premise of hot wife tolerating slob husband

What stands out

ActingDivisive65

Belushi's delivery and Campbell's physical comedy praised; detractors call Belushi hammy and Thorne-Smith wooden

HumorDivisive40

Fans find it reliably funny; detractors say it never produces a laugh

DialogueDivisive35

Some witty barbs but mostly stale, reliance on obvious jokes

EndingDivisive30

Saccharine reconciliations; predictable lesson-learning

Emotional impactDivisive25

Fans feel heartwarming family moments; detractors see no genuine emotion

CharactersDivisive20

Jim called a selfish, manipulative jerk by detractors; fans see him as lovably flawed

Plot and storyDivisive20

Repetitive, formulaic, and predictable story structure

OriginalityDivisive10

Derivative of other sitcoms (King of Queens, Married... with Children)

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 18 points higher than women.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 14 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users even

Episodes

8 seasons

Season 8 · 2008 · 18 episodes

  • S8E1

    The Blankie

    Dec 2, 200822 min
  • S8E2

    The New Best Friend

    Dec 2, 200822 min
  • S8E3

    Jami McFame

    Dec 9, 200823 min
  • S8E4

    Andy's Proposal

    Dec 9, 200822 min
  • S8E5

    Two For The Money

    Dec 16, 200823 min
  • S8E6

    Cabin Boys

    Dec 30, 200823 min

Watch experience

What is According to Jim like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
JoyfulWarm
Heaviest: throughout
Warm humor
Register
PlayfulWarm
Told as
Episodic · 11% of shows: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Resets each episode · 10% of showsStatus quo each season
ToneThe show holds its material with affectionate earnestness, never winking at the audience, treating its family sitcom premise without irony.
The rideConsistently light, warm, and comfortable across the run; no dramatic shifts.
StructureEpisodes are largely self-contained sitcom plots with a reset status quo.
Episode formatSelf-contained episodes with status quo restored by the end, typical of sitcoms.
Season formatSeasons are interchangeable; any episode is an entry point.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves the viewer smiling, with a sense of lighthearted enjoyment and affectionate family humor.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).ComedyFarce
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12% (this title): Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% (this title) · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Farce: Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).

12% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeEach typical episode follows Jim's latest scheme or misunderstanding, often escalating into absurd chaos before a warm resolution.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfMarriageBonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% (this title) · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% (this title) · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Marriage · 2% of showsFamily bondsParenthood · 1% of shows
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series revolves around Jim and Cheryl's marriage and their parenting of three children, often highlighting the humorous friction between Jim's old-fashioned masculinity and family life.
StanceAffirms marriage and family life despite the friction, with Jim's flaws played for gentle laughs rather than critique.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score
Settingsuburban Chicago-area home and workplace

Content guide

Is According to Jim okay for kids?

TV-PG

According to Jim is rated TV-PG. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (15/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at mild (19/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at minimal (14/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 17 other countries
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany6
  • Ireland12
  • BrazilL
  • Austria6
  • Belgium12
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK12
  • Hungary12
  • LU12
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • Poland12
  • Portugal12AP
  • RO12
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Switzerland0
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-PG show
heavier than 60%
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (7 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (48 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does According to Jim have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in According to Jim?

Cast

At least 4 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Jim Belushi
as Jim
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Courtney Thorne-Smith
as Cheryl
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Larry Joe Campbell
as Andy
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Taylor Atelian
as Ruby
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Billi Bruno
as Gracie
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Kimberly Williams-Paisley
as Dana
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Conner Rayburn
as Kyle
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Tony Braunagel
as Tony
Garret Sullivan
as Kyle
Connor Sullivan
as Kyle

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