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Hotel Babylon

(Rated TV-14, Drama, Starring Tamzin Outhwaite, Max Beesley, Emma Pierson, Where to watch: BBC America, DVD)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 16.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Brit guilty pleasure is best reserved for adults.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Most characters don't have many morals to speak of. Staff members demonstrate a fair amount of greed in their efforts to get guests to spend a lot and give big tips. Characters have affairs, use drugs, hire prostitutes, and engage in various other unhealthy activities.

  • Violence:

    Violent events like suicide, shootings, and fistfights occasionally play a role in the plot.

  • Sex:

    Implications abound, ranging from the presence of adult toys (a bare-breasted blow-up doll, for example) to sex sounds heard through a hotel room door. Nudity is mostly limited to shots of naked women from behind, with brief glimpses of their breasts. There's plenty of kissing, and prostitution is common in many episodes.

  • Language:

    "Bitch," "ass," and "s--t" are common.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Drinking, smoking, and drug use are common among both hotel guests and staffers.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Hotel Babylon

Parents need to know that since this racy British drama follows the wealthy, self-indulgent patrons of a fictional five-star London hotel, topics like drug use, drinking, prostitution, and extramarital affairs are common. What's more, because plenty of scenes focus on the staff's efforts to promote their guests' lavish lifestyles -- all in order to increase profits and tips -- the show glorifies greed. Strong language (including "s--t"), prevalent sexual content (including brief partial nudity, with short glimpses of breasts), and mature issues like suicide and gun violence are typical fare. Bottom line? It's a guilty pleasure waiting to happen ... for grown ups.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about whether series like this are just intended to be guilty pleasures, or whether they're trying to make a larger statement about society. What do the characters value? How would you describe their personalities? To what degree does our society value fame, fortune, and power? How do we explain our obsession with celebrity? Why is money so important to us? Have you ever witnessed a person's quest for money or fame override their own moral judgment? What do you think of that?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    oncrzyfml1
    Lives in Louisiana
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
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