Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this pay-cable drama includes edgy sexual scenarios that, while they fall short of being visually explicit, are nonetheless decidedly mature (for instance, in one scene a man moans inexplicably until a woman's head pops up from below). Highly charged scenes occur between a young man and a teen girl, including lots of innuendo and direct discussion of his erection, and there are several scenes in which an older woman undresses for a younger man (including one scene in which she masturbates while he watches from his window). Violence includes a swift, cruel cleat to the head that results in a bloody injury; swearing is uncensored; and characters drink and smoke.
Families can talk about why so many pay-cable series include so much edgy content. Have people come to expect uncensored sex, swearing, and violence from channels like HBO and Showtime? Do those things make their shows better than what's on the networks and basic cable? Why or why not? Families can also discuss starting over. Have you ever moved to a new home or become part of a new family? How did it feel, and what issues came up? What do you think it would be like to be in the witness protection program? What would you miss most about your old identity?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sierra Filucci
This strange, dark family drama centers on the Brogan family, who've relocated through the witness protection program to a sort of netherworld called MEADOWLANDS.
The planned community, it turns out, is packed with other misfits and secret-holders, a group that the Brogans -- rogueishly sexy dad Danny (David Morrissey), impetuous mom Evelyn (Lucy Cohu), wise-beyond-her-years teen Zoe (Felicity Jones), and her odd twin brother Mark (Harry Treadaway) -- fit into quite nicely.
After arriving, the Brogans meet their bubbly, nosy neighbor, a sexed-up handyman, and the gruesomely convincing sheriff. Interactions with their new neighbors have the Brogans both charmed and alarmed. The handyman flirts easily with clever Zoe; she, in turn, tempts him with sexual innuendo -- but Danny kicks him out before anything serious happens. (Later the sheriff reprimands the handyman with a swift kick to the head.)
Meanwhile, Mark -- a strange depressive with odd tendencies, like wearing gloves at all times and rarely speaking -- strikes up a relationship of sorts with the aging neighbor lady. He watches her undress from his window, and she slowly gets more aroused by her young voyeur.
With plenty of mysteries to unravel, Meadowlands is a stylish, edgy drama (with a touch of camp) that will draw viewers into its web. Though the show's teen characters are a huge part of its appeal, the series is definitely adult material. With all of the sex, violence, uncensored profanity, and scary, emotional situations, be sure to tune in after the kids are in bed.
Fans might also enjoy The Riches, Desperate Housewives, and Twin Peaks (available on DVD).
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentHighly charged sexual scenes don't show all that much, but they imply a lot. Rough blow job scene (act is performed off screen), passionate kissing and foreplay, a teen girl flirts with an older man and talks about his erection, an older woman masturbates while a teen boy watches, and more. |
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ViolenceViolence isn't constant, but there are some very intense moments -- like when one character kicks another in the head while wearing a cleat, bloodying and seriously injuring him. Another scene shows the same man returning from an encounter with a bloody tooth held in pliers, indicating an extraction. |
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LanguageRegular cursing, including "f--k." |
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Social BehaviorThe Brogans are generally loving and kind, though the father has a criminal past and the mother sometimes acts irresponsibly. Daughter Zoe is very smart and sassy, using her sexuality for gain. Other characters are mysterious -- some may appear good and be bad and vice versa. The main characters are all Caucasian. One young female character is full-figured, and her weight is part of a prominent storyline that deals cleverly with body size. |
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CommercialismRare product placements, such as Mercedes. The show is presumably set in Britain, so brands aren't always recognizable to American audiences. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoSome social drinking at parties. Danny runs a bar. Some minor characters smoke. |
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