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Canterbury's Law

(Rated TV-14, Drama, Starring Julianna Margulies, Russell Krauss, Chester Grant, Where to watch: Fox, DVD, Online)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    2.0

  • Common Sense says

    Legal drama is both mature and unmemorable.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Canterbury engages in lots of self-destructive behavior to cope with her son's disappearance. She's committed to her clients, but her legal practices are sometimes unethical; the series often justifies these choices/actions as moral. Infidelity is a strong theme. The cast is primarily Caucasian; one principal character is African-American.

  • Violence:

    Frequent discussions of violent behavior, including murder. Canterbury gets punched in the face, resulting in a split lip. Her son Sam was kidnapped and has never been found.

  • Sex:

    Strong sexual innuendo. Characters kiss/make out, and Canterbury is occasionally shown in bed with her lover. Canterbury purposely wears low necklines and short skirts to sway juries. Discussions of topics like teen sex.

  • Language:

    Language includes words like "hell," "ass," "damn," and "bitch."

  • Consumerism:

    Canterbury's Porsche is consistently highlighted, but the actual brand name is rarely seen. Occasional visual and verbal references to various prestigious law schools, like Georgetown and Harvard.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Visible consumption of alcohol, including wine, vodka, and other hard liquor. Canterbury frequently drinks and often becomes intoxicated.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Canterbury's Law

Parents need to know that this mature legal drama isn't intended for kids. The main character is a talented but flawed defense attorney who will do whatever it takes to defend her clients, even break the law. The show blurs the lines between right and wrong by presenting some of her iffy actions as being morally justified. She also engages in some self-destructive behavior -- like drinking heavily and having an affair -- in order to cope with the loss of her kidnapped son. There's lots of drinking and some strong language ("ass," "bitch"), as well as descriptions of sexual and violent behavior, including the murder of a child.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how TV tends to portray lawyers and the legal profession. What are some stereotypes about lawyers? Do you think legal dramas perpetuate these stereotypes or help eliminate them? Is it ever OK for a lawyer to bend or break the rules in order to help a client? Families can also discuss coping with grief. What are some constructive ways people deal with the loss of a loved one? Are Canterbury's coping mechanisms constructive?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    destinee1
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 0.0

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Adult Reviewer
    E-Rod
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0

    Law & Order meets House

    I personally like these kinds of shows. I like Law & Order SVU and I like House, Bones, ER, Prison Break, etc. I don't know if they all have things in common but maybe you may get a sense of what I find entertaining. Julianna Marguilies (don't know if spelled right) does a great job acting in this show and I think it's what makes the show. It's an interesting law show with an interesting character who like all good drama series characters has issues in her life. I really like this show! But definitely TV-14.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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