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Dark Blue

(Rated TV-14, Drama, Starring Dylan McDermott, Logan Marshall-Green, Omari Hardwick, Where to watch: TNT)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 15.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Complex show about undercover life is exciting but violent.

Themes in this show include:   honesty, revenge

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    For Shaw, the ends justify the means -- he's willing to break a few rules if it will help him catch his quarry, and his team members sometimes have to help their targets engage in criminal acts to maintain their cover. Consequently, the line between right and wrong often gets pretty fuzzy.
  • Role models:

    Shaw and his team constantly deal in deception as they try to gain their targets' confidence. To maintain their cover, they must sometimes engage in morally dubious behavior, and their long-term assignments can make them question who they really are.
  • Violence:

    Several intensely violent scenes, including torture and calculated murders. Criminals pull off daring heists using heavy-duty firearms and engage in full-scale gun battles with the police using automatic weapons.
  • Sex:

    Some characters flirt, sometimes strongly.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    A few scenes take place in bars, where people are drinking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Dark Blue

Parents need to know that this violent drama about undercover cops examines the impact of lying for a living -- and how pretending to be a criminal for an extended period of time can take a toll on your psyche. To win the trust of their targets, these police officers must sometimes act like criminals themselves. Expect plenty of action involving high-stakes heists, heavy-duty shootouts, and callous, calculated brutality. Some scenes even include torture and murder. There’s also some drinking and relatively mild sexual content.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about living undercover. Do you think it would be hard to work as an undercover cop? Do other movies or TV shows address this issue? What would you do if your assignment required you to commit a violent crime or risk exposing your identity?
  • How does the show portray both criminals and law enforcement officials? What separates the two groups -- why is one heroic and the other villainous?
  • How do the cops on this team differ from those in other police shows? Do cops work together more effectively on other shows that focus on more traditional units?

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