''Growing Up Gotti'' is an American

reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...

series that aired on A&E. It featured the life of Victoria Gotti, daughter of

Mafia "Mafia", as an informal or general term, is often used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the Sicilian Mafia, original Mafia in Sicily, to the Italian-American Mafia, or to other Organized crime in Italy, organiz ...

boss

John Gotti John Joseph Gotti Jr.Capeci, Mustain (1996), pp. 25–26 ( , ; October 27, 1940 – June 10, 2002) was an American '' mafioso'' and boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. He ordered and helped to orchestrate the murder of Gambin ...

, and her three sons; Frank Gotti Agnello, John Gotti Agnello Jr., and Carmine Gotti Agnello. The production of the pilot episode was announced in January 2004 with the show being picked up several months later. A&E canceled ''Growing Up Gotti'' after three seasons. In 2014, the network aired an anniversary special ''Growing Up Gotti: Ten Years Later''.

Episodes

Reception

Shirleen Holt of Film.com said: "Victoria Gotti has the warmth of an

ice pick An ice pick is a pointed metal tool used to break, pick or chip at ice. The design consists of a sharp metal spike attached to a handle. Though traditionally made out of wood, modern variants may have a plastic or rubber handle to improve safet ...

and her sons the charm of, well, thugs." Robert Hofler, reviewing the series for ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', said that it was too "controlled" and too focused on Victoria Gotti, who also acted as an

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...

, and that "A&E has the potential for a sleeper hit with its new

reality TV Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 199 ...

show ..but they clearly muffed the title. 'Mommy as Monster' is closer to the target."

Alessandra Stanley Alessandra Stanley (born October 3, 1955) is an American journalist. As of 2019, she is the co-founder of a weekly newsletter "for worldly cosmopolitans" called ''Air Mail'', alongside former ''Vanity Fair'' editor-in-chief Graydon Carter. Biog ...

, of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', said that the show was "a one-joke

novelty Novelty (derived from Latin word ''novus'' for "new") is the quality of being new, or following from that, of being striking, original or unusual. Novelty may be the shared experience of a new cultural phenomenon or the subjective perception of an ...

item, but it is at times quite funny and Ms. Gotti is an oddly compelling figure.".

Genovese Crime Family The Genovese crime family (), also sometimes referred to as the Westside, is an Italian Americans, Italian American American Mafia, Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City and Ne ...

Soldier Ciro Perrone and

Ralph Scopo Ralph "Little Ralphie" Scopo Sr. (November 21, 1928 – March 9, 1993) was a New York mobster with the Colombo crime family who became a powerful labor racketeer. He was the father of Colombo mobsters Joseph Scopo and Ralph Scopo Jr., and the ...

were recorded on tape criticizing the show, with Perrone commenting "it’s a

soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...

, and the kids look like girls".

Reunion

On November 10, 2014, the network aired a one-hour anniversary special entitled ''Growing Up Gotti: Ten Years Later''. The special featured Victoria Gotti and her three sons who reunited to talk about the highlights of their family reality series. ''Growing up Gotti: 10 Years Later'' was produced by Left/Right.

References

External links

* * 2004 American television series debuts 2005 American television series endings 2000s American reality television series A&E (TV network) original programming American English-language television shows Gotti family {{US-reality-tv-stub