 | 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. |
Cold Case
Common Sense Media says
Mature crime drama lacks grit and pizzazz.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this crime drama suggests more violence than it shows but does depict bloody bodies and murder scenarios, including some involving children. Villains and witnesses are frequently one-dimensional and stereotyped. Although a woman is the central character, she show's female characters are also often somewhat stereotyped.
What's the story?
COLD CASE pits a hard-working Philadelphia detective, Lilly Rush (Kathryn Morris), against previously unsolved crimes. Lilly is now armed with modern forensics, although she has to deal with witnesses and suspects whose circumstances have changed with time. The only woman in her department, Lilly is surrounded by a crew of standard-issue cops: mentor Lt. John Stillman (her boss, played by John Finn), trusty partner Scotty Valens (Danny Pino), tough guy Nick Vera (Jeremy Ratchford), and crusty old Will Jeffries (Thom Barry), who improbably remembers many of the crimes in Lilly's dusty files. In each episode, the team solves one old case. Aspects of the crime are shown in short, repeated flashbacks that illustrate what happened years earlier (when the case was fresh) and what's happening among characters now.
Is it any good?
The theme of this series -- that opening old wounds can involve many emotions but often leads to closure -- could be emotionally complex and gripping. But the show takes the easy way out, creating "complexity" by juggling lots of characters and generating "excitement" through hackneyed dialogue and unrealistic plot points. Highly predictable, the plots are populated with two-dimensional characters whose motivations are explained rather than revealed. Not much thinking goes into solving the cold-case crimes on this show -- after witnesses quickly spout key points, the suspects often simply spill the beans. Each case is neatly and completely solved by the end of the episode, leaving the series stars to tuck those dusty files right back into the archives.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the nature of closure -- do these characters find comfort when the crime is solved? What other emotions do the characters have during the story or at its conclusion? How does what happened in the past seem to have affected these people's lives since then? Should people who committed crimes long ago and have since reformed still be held accountable for their actions? Also, are these characters behaving in realistic ways? Would suspects reveal their roles in a crime just because they were asked? What makes dialogue believable?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Kid, 9 years old
May 15, 2010
AGE
Grow-up Show
My Mom Likes This Show
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
I love this show!
I think the reviews were way too "hard" i watch it every time its on and i have never seen people kissing, or any bad scenes. of course they have the person murdered at the end but its not gory at all. as for language, i dont hear anything. a few times they say he-- but other than that, its a great show.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Distorted portrayal of Philadelphia...
I've lived in Rittenhouse Square, West Philly, Fishtown, Society Hill -- and this shows portrayal of residents education and emotional IQ is pathetic. The most recent show about a mother who lost most of her children (she is black, but that doesn't matter to this post's concern) and some Chicanos was terrible -- the bizarre characters don't resemble anyone I've met, and I've been in the poorest black/chicano neighborhoods. Aside from the show being overly-dramatic and poorly written, the portrayal of Philly is simplistic and plain silly. Don't waste your time.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
This is a great show for adults that like crime shows. I make sure to pause the DVR whenever my seven year old is in the room because way too much about this show is adult in nature.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
An Engaging Show Not for Kids...
COLD CASE is an engaging crime show, but NO KIDS! This show is for mature teens and adults only. There is some violence in each episode (since each episode revolves around a crime, usually a murder). It isn't gory, but it can get intense. There is some sex and moderate innuendos and references. There aren't any "F" words as far as I can remember (I haven't seen every episode), but there is some language as well.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
"Very clever, and quite original."
I love this show. It can be emotional at times, but its really a great change from most crime/detective shows out there. Some might love it, others may not. But its worth seeing an episode.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Really interesting!
This show can be a little slow. But, it is really good though. If you like crime shows,then you should see this show!!
Was this review useful?
|
|
| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Network: | CBS |
| Cast: | Jeremy Ratchford, John Finn, Kathryn Morris, Thom Barry |
| Genre: | Drama |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
