• Is it age appropriate?

  About our ratings

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  Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.

• Is it any good?

  4.0

• Common Sense says

  A thrilling, educational romp through history.

Why We Rated This for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

• Messages:

  Indy's adventures typically place him in opposition to some rival -- whether they're both on the hunt for some kind of ancient artifact or on different sides of a battlefield -- and generally try to paint the other side as the "bad" side. But the show sometimes gives short shrift to explaining why these opponents are actually in the wrong; just because another adventurer is seeking the same prize as our hero, he's not necessarily a villain. Some early 20th-century conflicts are clearly seen from the Western point of view, which seems to automatically assume that the European or American forces are the good guys, while rebellious ethnic tribesmen must be the bad guys. Failing to explain the larger background of these conflicts does a disservice to viewers, especially younger ones, who may get a skewed perspective of history. That said, one of the joys of this show is watching Indy interact with an extensive roster of important historical characters, ranging from a young Ernest Hemingway to T.E. Lawrence.

What to watch out for

• Violence & scariness:

  Plenty of action, though less than the big-screen movies. Indy's adventures always seem to include encounters with dangerous villains and often lead to fights of all kinds -- fist, gun, knife, sword, etc. Some of these battles are quite intense, and some characters die on screen, but there's little blood or gore. A good portion of the series takes place during World War I, so there are many battle scenes featuring machine guns, bombs, and other types of mechanized combat. Again, many injuries and some deaths, but little gore.
• Sexy stuff:

  Ever the romantic, Indy finds someone to woo in almost every episode that follows him as a teenager/young man -- though passionate kissing is generally the most that's shown on screen. There's no sex or nudity, though the show hints at some off-screen dalliances.
• Language:

  Plenty of words like "darn" and "rats," as well as the occasional "damn," but not much stronger language.
• Consumerism:

  Not an issue.
• Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

  Plenty of social drinking, and teenage/young man Indy sometimes drinks until he and his pals are falling-down drunk, which is portrayed for laughs. Some characters smoke.

What Parents Need to Know

About The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones

Families Can Talk About