 | 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. |
DEA
- Spike
- Genre: Reality TV
Common Sense Media says
Intense ride-along glamorizes a very tough job.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this reality show glamorizes the difficult -- and very dangerous -- job of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent. Team members are shown breaking down the doors of drug dealers' homes and rushing in, guns drawn, to arrest suspects. Viewers see plenty of real dealers, real deals, and lots of real drugs. The series makes the agents' day-to-day activities seem exciting and important, but the show makes little effort to discuss the big picture -- such as why so many of the dealers are poor, or whether arresting them will actually have much impact on the international drug trade.
What's the story?
Few programs on the reality-show spectrum seem as real as DEA, an in-depth look at the day-to-day activities of a Drug Enforcement Administration task force trying to stem the flow of illegal substances in Detroit. The camera crew rides along with real-life agents as they interview confidential informants, go undercover to make buys, and raid suspected dealers' homes. Once a suspect is in custody, the agents try to convince them to help snare their suppliers, and the process begins again one step up the food chain.
Is it any good?
The show focuses on the street-level agents and makes their very dangerous job seem both exciting and important. Certainly the agents seem to get a rush from busting down a suspect's door and rushing in with guns drawn; knowing that these raids are the real thing can make them seem more thrilling to viewers than similar invasions on fictional cop shows.
DEA does an admirable job of explaining how the agents navigate the complicated world of the drug trade, collecting evidence and building cases. It's a gripping look at a world that few people get to see. But by focusing on low-level dealers, the show fails to explain the larger context. It doesn't address the ideas behind the government's drug policies or question whether there may be better approaches to fighting the "war on drugs."
What families can talk about
Families can talk about drugs and how they're depicted in the media. How do the dealers and users in this show compare to the ones portrayed in fictional TV shows and movies? Does the life of a drug dealer seem glamorous or dangerous? Do the DEA agents seem to enjoy their job?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
noy reel
i think its scripted not real the people who get done give up too fast dont ask for council even after poped the a lot of inconsistencies with the street value from 1 seg to the next 22 k of coke 1ml >120,000th the next and the actors that role i could i.d. 666
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AGE
Great Show
DEA is a great show. People need to see that there are bad guys out there and that the good guys are coming for them.
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AGE
AMAZING show!
I LOVE it! My cousin Woody(Detroit DEA) is on it. I love DEA! :D
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AGE
Looks like DEA might not come back
I liked the show while it was on, but it looks like that might not be much longer. Check out an article on ticklethewire* on the future of the show...
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AGE
Great Program
DEA is a well produced show that depicts the real-life situations of being a DEA agent. While the show displays many drug dealers and the various narcotics that they sell, the overwhelming message is that illegal activity doesn't pay and you will eventually get caught. What I have a problem with though is how the descriptions says that "parents should talk to their children about why dealers are poor." Not all dealers are poor or from the projects. Take good long look into nice middle and upperclass suburban neighborhoods and peel back the white picket fence exterior and you can easily find drug dealers who are doing quite well financialy and want to make some extra dough from selling drugs.
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| TV rating: | TV-14 |
| Network: | Spike |
| Cast: | John Greer, Justin Mohr, Rick Gatewood |
| Genre: | Reality TV |
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