The Family (2003 TV series)

Did You Know?

• The Board of Trustees consisted of the household staff: maid Linda Levis, butler Andrew Lowrey, social secretary Ringo Allen, personal stylist Jill Swid, and chef Franck Porcher.
• Some family members became visibly upset upon discovering they were being judged by the people who cleaned their toilets and washed their dishes.

Story

Ten family members from New York City were relocated to a fully furnished mansion in Wellington, Florida, staffed with multiple maids, butlers, and a full cooking staff. Each week, reward challenges and elimination contests were held. The elimination contests determined two nominees for removal. A secret Board of Trustees, composed of the household staff, decided which nominee to eliminate, typically choosing the member they felt less deserving. Eliminated contestants remained in the house but could not participate in family activities.

Contestants

All contestants were directly related, including siblings, parents, and cousins. In the first phase, three contestants lost elimination contests and were rejected by the Board of Trustees. In the second phase, remaining players made strategic moves to eliminate stronger threats, resulting in three more eliminations. When four contestants remained, challenges became physical and mental.

The Board of Trustees had final say on eliminations until one contestant remained. The eliminated family members then voted one of themselves back into the game, selecting Anthony, described as wild, immature, yet strong. The Board of Trustees had selected Michael, considered the lovable family outcast, as the final contestant. Anthony won the final challenge and the million-dollar prize.

He was given the option to keep the money or split it equally among the ten members. After solitary confinement overnight, Anthony chose to split the money equally, giving each member $100,000.

Critical reception

The Family received mixed reviews upon its 2003 debut. USA Today described it as a tacky debacle that ridiculed the family's heritage, from the dismissal of their preference for Italian food to the on-air logo echoing The Godfather. The Hollywood Reporter called it a wacky, enjoyable hoot and a laugh-out-loud riot. Variety called it one of the best comedies on television, perfectly edited and a worthy guilty pleasure. Popular reception was generally positive, but the show was temporarily pulled from the air at the start of the Iraq War for ABC News reports. When it returned, it had lost momentum and was not picked up for a second season. Italian-American cultural critic George de Stefano credited the show with inspiring similar programs such as Growing up Gotti and Jersey Shore.