 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Against the Wall
- Lifetime Television
- Genre: Drama
Common Sense Media says
Strong female lead uses sex, alcohol to relieve stress.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this crime series revolves around a strong female lead and her visibly pregnant partner who work in an overwhelmingly male profession. The main character uses both alcohol and casual sex as a stress reliever, and the simulated sexual activity you see can get pretty intense, although no sensitive body parts are shown. There's also some audible language (including "jackass" and "a--hole") and descriptive violence, with visible cuts and bruises and a little blood.
What's the story?
Chicago police officer Abby Kowalski (Rachael Carpani) is AGAINST THE WALL when she takes a promotion working as a detective in the Chicago Police Department's Internal Affairs division, which investigates crimes and misdemeanors inside the department. Because now, she's getting paid to question the actions of "her own" -- including her retired cop father (Treat Williams) and three police officer brothers (Brandon Quinn, Steve Byers, and James Thomas).
Is it any good?
Against the Wall is all about putting women in charge -- even those who are visibly pregnant -- and that certainly makes it stand out in a flooded sea of crime shows that tend to pair strong secondary female characters up with stronger male leads. Abby Kowalski and her expectant partner are both flawed and highly watchable in their efforts to understand each other as women and get along in a male-dominated workplace.
But at times, Against the Wall goes a bit too far with the girl power. In the show's first episode, for example, a seemingly tough and blatantly burly cop suspected of battery confesses (spoiler alert!) that it's actually his wife who's the serial abuser at home. And while that's a perfectly plausible plotline for, say, a Lifetime Original Movie...it plays like a slightly laughable "gotcha" in an otherwise serious script.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about stereotypes and nontraditional careers for women. How do the characters cope with being the minority in a male-dominated environment? Is it even an issue? Do these characters' actions undermine or reinforce traditional ideas about women in this line of work?
Is the main character's habit of having casual sex to relieve stress any more surprising, simply because she's a woman? If she were a man, would it be more of a non-issue?
Is it smart to use casual sex or alcohol as a stress reliever? What are some healthier ways to reduce day-to-day anxieties?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Good so far but a little iffy
I have seen all the episodes that have aired so far and I must say I love the story! It's so much different then other cop shows. I totally give it two thumbs up. The main girl is a great role model and even though her family does not like her decsion to be in I.A she stays strong. Like common sense media says that said there is a bit of s** I fast forwarded through those parts but nothing to bad is shown it just goes on for like two minutes. I reccommend it :)
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| TV rating: | TV-14 |
| Network: | Lifetime Television |
| Cast: | Kathy Baker, Rachael Carpani, Treat Williams |
| Genre: | Drama |
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