Vincent - TV-14

UK gumshoe drama delivers character and suspense.

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details

TV Rating: TV-14
Network: BBC America
Cast: Ray Winstone, Suranne Jones, Eva Pope
Genre: Drama

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this British crime drama about a group of private investigators has a lot in common with its U.S. counterparts (Law & Order, CSI etc.). Violence is the biggest concern here, since it's pretty frequent and can be quite graphic. For example, one scene shows a man struck and killed by a car; in another, a character uses a baseball bat and the top of a toilet tank as weapons. Grisly crime-scene photos and intense chase scenes ensure that this well-cast, suspenseful show isn't for tweens, though teens and adults will enjoy it.

Families can talk about how the media portray private investigators. Is it a romanticized view? What do you think the life of a real PI is really like? How are the legal limitations for private investigators different than for police detectives? Do the PIs have more or less freedom in how they question suspects and gather evidence? Families can also discuss how the investigators follow clues and piece together the mystery. How do they decide where to start? How do they use reasonable conjecture to lead them to the next piece of the puzzle?

Message
Violence
Sex
Language

Message

Social Behavior:

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

The main character and a few of the others smoke infrequently. Alcohol (beer and mixed drinks) is prevalent among adults in club and social scenes.

Violence

Physical brawls include kicking, punching, and using weapons like TVs, baseball bats, and broken bottles. A man is hit and killed by a car, after which his lifeless, bloody body is shown.

Sex

Some brief make-out scenes (without nudity).

Language

"Jesus" and "Oh, my god" are pretty common, but anything stronger (including "damn") is bleeped.

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Emily Ashby

Private investigator Vincent Gallagher (Ray Winstone, The Departed) is no modern-day Magnum, but his own brand of gumshoeing is an enjoyable blend of drama, emotion, and suspense. VINCENT follows Vincent and his team of private investigators as they piece together puzzling clues in a variety of cases, including unsolved murders and secretive spouses. This middle-aged, slightly overweight PI is struggling through a recent break-up with his girlfriend, who, because of proximity, remains a presence in his life; add to that his difficulties with communication -- a major contributor to said break-up -- and various other mid-life crises, and the depth of Vincent's extremely flawed character is evident. In spite of Vincent's personal turmoil (or perhaps because of it), he's single-mindedly driven in his work. He empathizes with his clients, whose pain often reflects some aspect of his own unsettled existence. His dedication to his work, though occasionally leading to burn-out on, is great for his clients, who most times reap the benefits of his efforts.

Is it any good?

While Vincent lacks the fast-paced action of flashier shows like CSI, it more than makes up for it with a relatable character whose soul is as much under investigation as the clues he traces. Suspense fans looking for a little more character development than the typical primetime choices often provide will find a lot of that here. But parents should definitely take note of the violence, since it can be graphic and may upset younger viewers.