This is a great court drama about a defense lawyer named Ben Matlock. He may be a little grumpy and charges 100 Grand for a case, but he is worth every penny. The language is extremely tame compared to the crime shows of today. The only words that are used regularly are "h-ll and d-mn." The violence is a little bloody, but it's never gratutious. My only real concern is the sexual content of some episodes. One episode takes place in a strip club. In another episode a man is passionately kissing a woman and and later are shown in bed together. And so on. The innocent are exonarated and the guilty are punished. Although this is a tame crime show, most kids won't be interested in this show. So simply put, almost anyone that would want to see it, can see it. Just be warned of the occasional sexual content.
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Matlock
(Rated TV-PG, Drama, Starring Andy Griffith, Clarence Gilyard, Nancy Stafford, Where to watch: Hallmark Channel, Syndicated, DVD)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 12; suggested age 12. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Griffith's down-home charm has adult appeal.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 12 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Matlock
Parents need to know that this '80s legal drama includes shots of bloody murder victims and rare scenes of the violent act in progress. Crime, prostitution, and extramarital affairs are often central to storylines -- but overall, the subject matter is mild compared to today's standards. Supporting female characters sometimes wear skimpy outfits, and, in at least one bar scene, perform exotic dances in bras and thongs. Seemingly trustworthy characters often turn out to be enemies, and Matlock and his associates occasionally lie or trick people into giving up information.
Read our full review by Emily Ashby
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about how primetime TV content has changed over time. Does the violence in this series seem realistic? If not, do you think it did when it first aired? How does it compare with modern crime dramas like Law & Order? Is one more upsetting than the other? Why? How have viewers' standards for "acceptable" levels of violence, sexual content, and language in primetime TV changed over the past 20 years? What does this say about society? Who decides what's "acceptable" to begin with?
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
An old fashioned scrime show.
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
Maaaaaaaaaatlock!
It's a good show, pretty tame. Kids might get bored with it, though. My daughter used to watch it when she was a toddler.
- I rate this title off for age 13 and give it
my mom has watched it and I donot appreciate this show.
- I rate this title off for age 2 and give it
?????????????
This show is a poop old drug thisshow suppose to be 17 and up not 12 lol I like the song though.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 100% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 100% | of parents say the sexual behavior isn't age appropriate |
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