Handpicked by Our Editors

The National Parks: America's Best Idea
Age 7+
5

The National Parks: America's Best Idea

Why We Recommend It

Stunning. Gripping. Inspiring. This PBS series documents the epic struggle of birthing our national parks.

Read our full review
Baffled by TV ratings? Don't give up!

Industry TV ratings aren't much help when it comes to finding good family TV. It's hard to translate television ratings that look like a string of letters into good choices, and the TV ratings themselves aren't so reliable when you realize that the people who make the shows provide the ratings. So whatever your concern -- sex, violence, or all the ads -- our TV ratings help you find age-appropriate shows and manage the messages that our kids get from them.

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StarStruck (Disney Channel)
Parents Need to Know...

that this squeaky-clean Disney movie is a worry-free choice for tweens. Sara’s infatuation with Christopher -- while possibly grating on parents’ nerves -- may resonate with viewers and raise some issues about our celebrity-obsessed ... read more

Age 8+
StarStruck
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Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil (Disney XD)
Parents Need to Know...

that this pointless cartoon totally misses the mark for kids. Kick lives in a fantasy world where responsibility and respect for authority take a backseat to danger and adventure, and his risky actions never result in any physical harm or ... read more

Age 7+
Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil
1
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Past Life (Fox)
Parents Need to Know...

that this police procedural is heavy on the paranormal and includes in-depth discussion of reincarnation, past lives, and how these concepts intersect with mysterious deaths. The investigations sometimes uncover vicious crimes -- which ... read more

Age 14+
Past Life
3
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Undercover Boss (CBS)
Parents Need to Know...

that this reality series -- in which CEOs go undercover and pose as entry-level employees to learn more about how their businesses are being run -- underscores the idea that corporate managers must make an effort to understand how their ... read more

Age 10+
Undercover Boss
3
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Ten9Eight (BET)
Parents Need to Know...

that this documentary about inner-city teens participating in a national business plan competition offers lots of positive messages about staying in school, working hard, setting goals, and reaching for dreams. It also introduces business ... read more

Age 14+
Ten9Eight
4
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Digital Nation: Life on the Virtual Frontier (PBS)
Parents Need to Know...

that Digital Nation: Life on the Virtual Frontier is really more for them than their kids. The 90-minute Frontline documentary continues the exploration of what it means for kids to be growing up in a digital world that began with ... read more

Age 14+
Digital Nation: Life on the Virtual Frontier
4
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The Michael Vick Project (BET)
Parents Need to Know...

that this reality series centers on controversial NFL player Michael Vick, who's rebuilding his life after serving a prison sentence for a dog fighting conviction. There are some positive messages about taking responsibility for your ... read more

Age 14+
The Michael Vick Project
3
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Kell on Earth (Bravo)
Parents Need to Know...

that the star of this reality show, a high-powered fashion publicist, is a strong, independent female role model who has no qualms saying exactly what's on her mind...and tends to use "f--k" a lot while she's doing it (although ... read more

Age 14+
Kell on Earth
4
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Four Weddings (TLC)
Parents Need to Know...

that this reality show promotes the idea that weddings are competitive events for women, as each episode features four brides judging one another's celebrations. While the brides aren't terribly snippy -- and even offer compliments to the ... read more

Age 10+
Four Weddings
3
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The Inbetweeners (BBC America)
Parents Need to Know...

Parents need know that this edgy BBC series about high school students focuses on four average guys who spend most of their time trying to get alcohol and meet girls (though they have much more luck with liquor than with the ladies). ... read more

Age 16+
The Inbetweeners
3
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La La Land (Showtime)
Parents Need to Know...

that this character-driven cable comedy series is for mature audiences due to the generous dose of uncensored swearing (including "f--k" and "s--t") and sexual language (including expressions like "hard-on," ... read more

Age 15+
La La Land
4
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Team Umizoomi (Nick Jr.)
Parents Need to Know...

that this delightful series for preschoolers reinforces math skills like counting, measuring, and spatial relations. The show’s interactive format will keep kids engaged and excited about helping the characters solve the problems they ... read more

Age 3+
Team Umizoomi
4
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The Pregnancy Pact (Lifetime Television)
Parents Need to Know...

that this made-for-TV movie about teen pregnancy (which is partially inspired by an alleged real-life "pregnancy pact" in 2008) calls attention to the rising teen birth rate in the United States and addresses some of the ... read more

Age 14+
The Pregnancy Pact
3
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Spartacus: Blood and Sand (Starz)
Parents Need to Know...

that this extremely violent swords-and-sandals series isn't appropriate for kids. There’s frequent nudity (including full-frontal male and female), explicit sex scenes, uncensored swearing, and lots of graphic violence. Heads roll, ... read more

No Kids
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
3
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Caprica (Syfy)
Parents Need to Know...

that this spin-off series will appeal mostly to fans of its parent show, Battlestar Galactica. The storyline traces the origin of the Cylons, robotic villains that nearly annihilated the human race. There’s some drinking and smoking by ... read more

Age 15+
Caprica
2
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Food Tech (History)
Parents Need to Know...

that this series mixes education and fun by exploring the origins and production of the ingredients that go into some of America’s favorite dishes. Kids interested in the topic will enjoy learning about what makes the cheese melt on ... read more

Age 10+
Food Tech
3
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The Deep End (ABC)
Parents Need to Know...

that this adult-driven legal drama relies on sexual innuendo to keep things interesting -- and one of the main male characters is sexually impulsive, often sleeping with more than one partner per episode. The language, too, is sexually ... read more

Age 14+
The Deep End
3
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Meteorite Men (Science Channel)
Parents Need to Know...

that this show probably won’t interest kids, and the subject matter -- massive rocks falling to Earth from outer space -- might actually frighten very young or very sensitive ones. For everyone else, though, it offers an engrossing ... read more

Age 10+
Meteorite Men
3
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Paranormal Cops (A&E)
Parents Need to Know...

that this reality series -- in which a group of Chicago police officers spend their evenings investigating alleged paranormal incidents -- has all the creepy components that viewers have come to expect from this kind of show. And it takes ... read more

Age 13+
Paranormal Cops
3
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American Pickers (History)
Parents Need to Know...

that while some mild language (“hell,” mostly) is the strongest that this show’s content gets, the dusty subject matter isn’t likely to entice too many kids. Mike and Frank are crafty businessmen who use seemingly devious sales ... read more

Age 10+
American Pickers
4
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Big Time Rush (Nickelodeon)
Parents Need to Know...

that aside from a hefty dose of improbability, there’s little to worry about in this tween-friendly comedy. Sure, the teen characters' lives are a little too sanitized, and even relatable woes like the pressures of school and dating are ... read more

Age 7+
Big Time Rush
3

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