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Ashes to Ashes

(Rated TV-14, Drama, Starring Philip Glenister, Keeley Hawes, Dean Andrews, Where to watch: BBC America)

  • 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?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    '80s-set British crime sequel is as good as the original.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–18

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Alex is working through personal issues with her mother as she struggles to return to her daughter. The majority of officers and detectives are male, and they consistently exhibit sexist behavior toward their female counterparts. But ultimately the team is there for each other. Not a lot of cast diversity.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Episodes deal with violent acts like rape, drug trafficking, and murder. Guns are often fired, and people get shot (blood is sometimes visible); frequent scenes of people dying in explosions. Suspects and police officers are shown being punched, hit, and kicked. Officers are shown slamming suspects' heads into cars and being slapped in the groin. One scene features a naked suspect being forced to lie down on a pool table and have his genitals hit by a billiard ball.

  • Sex:

    Some strong sexual innuendo, including men grabbing women's breasts and references to "shagging." Nudity (bare buttocks) and simulated sex acts in some episodes. The female officers/detectives are sometimes required to dress up as prostitutes. Words like "hooker" and "shagging" are often used. There's also some discussion about a woman's virginity.

  • Language:

    The word "pissed" (which means "drunk" in Britain) is used frequently. Stronger words like "hell", "arse," "ass," and "piss off" are also audible.

  • Consumerism:

    Popular '80s stars like Adam Ant and The Romantics are seen and heard. Brands like Tab soda are visible; Hunt drives an Audi Quattro, while Shaz listens to a Sony Walkman. References to Star Wars.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    The officers and detectives frequently drink together (wine, beer, champagne) after a hard day and often get drunk. The series also includes discussions about drug (mainly cocaine) smuggling; packages presumed to be cocaine are visible. As is typical with many British series, smoking is visible and frequent.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Ashes to Ashes

Parents need to know that this follow up to British detective series Life on Mars has some intense content. Suspects and officers are shown being violently kicked, punched, and shot at, and explosions are frequent. There's also occasional nudity (bare buttocks) and simulated sex acts, and officers drink and smoke frequently (suspects are shown dealing cocaine). Language includes some salty British slang, as well as words like "hell" and "screwed." Although the behavior featured here is a little bit more "PC" than the original '70s-set series, male police officers still rough up suspects and exhibit lots of sexist behavior toward their female coworkers.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about what life was like in the 1980s. How does the media depict life during that era? What kinds of things have changed over the years? What hasn't? Families can also discuss why behavior that was socially acceptable in the past is no longer OK. Do you think that people's attitudes about things like sexism and civil rights have changed over the years, or are there simply more laws that regulate things like harassment and police brutality? How do attitudes and laws governing these behaviors vary from country to country?
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