Television Review: Tough as Nails
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this series featuring a
tough-talking female real estate developer and contractor who
owns and successfully manages her business, sends some positive
messages about women succeeding in male-dominated industries.
While much of the focus is on her business and contracting
skills, a lot of the drama comes from her unique relationship
with her ex-husband and with her construction foreman. The show
is generally family friendly, but it does contain some
occasional mild language (“damn”) and conversations
about divorce and relationships.
- Families can talk about what it is like to work in a field or industry that is usually dominated by people of a specific gender. What is it like to work in an all-male environment if you are female? What if you are male and work in a predominantly female-oriented career? What are the challenges? Benefits?
- How real do you think the relationship Cindy Stumpo has with some of the cast members of the show are? Why would she discuss them on television? Do you think it is hyped up to make the show more entertaining? Why or why not?
TOUGH AS NAILS is a reality show featuring successful Boston luxury developer Cindy Stumpo as she manages a multi-million dollar company while trying to balance her personal life. The construction veteran oversees teams of contractors and employees, including Stumpo’s mom, Beverly, and her 21-year old daughter Samantha. It’s definitely a family affair, but one that makes her personal life a little complicated, thanks to her close working and personal relationship with her ex-husband Joe Stumpo, and her best friend/construction foreman Michael Rebholz. Luckily, Cindy’s grandmother, aka Nana, is there to help her regroup and find a little humor along the way.
The series showcases Cindy Stumpo as a strong and
independent woman who, as the owner and manager of her own
company, is both a shrewd businessperson and a natural leader.
It also shows how, as a single mother, she is committed to the
present and future well-being of her adult children.
These themes are definitely positive, but they are somewhat
diminished by the show’s focus on her soap opera-like
struggle with emotional attachments she has to her ex-husband
and to her foreman. While it makes the show more
voyeuristically entertaining, it also takes the attention away
from her professional success in a male-dominated industry.
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