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Flashpoint (CBS)

common sense media says

Intense cop show explores effects of violence.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this drama glamorizes the very dangerous work of an elite police team. The Strategic Response Unit is called in to handle hostage situations, standoffs with armed criminals, and other high-stakes incidents. Their uniforms, gear, weapons, and especially their attitude make them seem like a well-trained military squad, with bluster and bravado to spare. The show doesn't have much time for romance, but there's plenty of action (which can get bloody), and the officers are often forced to respond with deadly force. But the show also takes pains to show the emotional impact of these actions, as the characters deal with the aftermath of giving and carrying out fatal orders.

Positive messages: The team is regularly thrust into very challenging situations, often involving armed criminals and hostages, and the stakes are literally life-or-death. These trained professionals clearly live for their work and act like they look forward to these incidents. But the show takes pains to show the aftermath of a shooting, when the characters are very obviously distraught after killing a suspect -- even when the act is justified.
Violence: The show focuses on an elite squad of police officers who are trained to handle the most difficult situations. They have plenty of big weapons and often use them. Even when they're not shooting, the team spends a lot of time dressed in full military-style outfits, looking ready for any kind of action. People are shot and killed, and the scenes can be intense and bloody.
Sex: No sex or nudity, and not much romance, though the members of the team often tease the only woman in the group about her single status.
Language: Given the show's intense subject matter, the members of the team are surprisingly clean-mouthed. But words like "damn," "ass," and "hell" do pop up sometimes.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Some social drinking at bars.
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More on Flashpoint

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about how the media typically portrays the police. Is this show consistent with that? If not, how is it different? What moral dilemmas do cops regularly have to face? When a suspect is threatening innocent bystanders or law enforcement, do the police have the right -- or even the duty -- to kill them? How would it feel to be the person to make that decision or carry out the order? Do the characters' reactions to the situations they face on this show seem realistic to you? Can showing how characters react to their violent duties be an argument against violence?

What's the story?

What's the story?
FLASHPOINT follows the highly trained police officers who work on the Special Response Unit, an elite squad that's called in to handle hostage situations, armed standoffs, and other high-risk missions. These jobs can often escalate into deadly shootouts, and when they require marksmen to take out a criminal, it's Sgt. Gregory Parker's (Enrico Colantoni) duty to give the order, while Ed Lane (Hugh Dillon) and his partner Jules Callahan (Amy Jo Johnson) are the snipers who have to take the shot.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Plenty of cop shows glamorize the action and pay little attention to the repercussions; this one deserves credit for detailing how each mission can affect the officers and their families. It's hard to shoot someone -- to carefully aim a rifle at another person, line them up in the sights, and, when the order finally comes, deliberately pull the trigger. It's clear that the SRU team members take their job seriously, but there's often heavy emotional aftermath. Lane even throws up immediately after one particularly harrowing assignment -- though, with typical cop bravado, he refuses to admit he was shaken.

That said, the fact that Flashpoint almost goes out of its way to portray a shooting as a negative experience can bog the show down a bit. After one clearly warranted killing, the police force sends in a team of lawyers and investigators to analyze every step of the process, making the sniper seem almost like a criminal rather than a cop following orders. It makes a traumatic experience seem even worse and certainly doesn't make police work seem appealing -- a sharp contrast to the strong sense of camaraderie within the SRU before each mission.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-14
Network: CBS
Cast: Amy Jo Johnson, Enrico Colantoni, Hugh Dillon
Genre: Drama
Where to watch: CBS
This review was written by Will Wade
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

californiaman714
teen, 17 years old
14
 
Perfect for Teenagers and their Parents
I was really happy with this show because it is one of those good shows that does not have a lot of language in it. I find that is it a good cop drama for Teenagers and Parents to watch. This is one of the best shows I have seen in a long time. I love the way that this show always has me on the edge of my seat because I am not going to know what happens next, there is always something new every episode and fresh. This show is the perfect show for Teenagers and their parents to watch as some bonding time. I have started to watch this show with my parents and I love it.
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Savanna22_2
teen, 16 years old
12
 
I personally watch the show and I have a 12 year old sister that watches it took. I think it is one of the best shows i've seen in a long time.
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Chris LP
adult
 
This show is just stupid
I was very disapointed in this show.
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helped me decide (1) | had useful details (1) | read my mind (2)

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