 | 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. |
My Own Worst Enemy
Common Sense Media says
Sophisticated drama packs too much heat for kids.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that graphic violence is the primary concern here. There's some eyebrow-raising sexual content, too, but it's far less pervasive. Characters live in a generally dangerous world and use guns, bombs, and knives to get what they want, rarely stopping to think twice before they kill someone. When a character dies in a manner that involves blood, such as a shooting, you'll see plenty of that, as well. There are also explosions, and characters use a bit of salty language and drink.
What's the story?
Christian Slater stars as two different men forced to share the same body in MY OWN WORST ENEMY, a fast-paced drama that explores what happens when a top-secret government operation involving brain manipulation and deception goes awry. Henry (Slater) is a happily married Everyman with two children, a steady job, and a house in the suburbs. But he has no idea he's been living a double life as Edward (also Slater), a trained assassin who sleeps with beautiful women before killing them, speaks 13 languages, and can hold his breath underwater for five minutes at a time. Or at least he had no idea ... until everything changed.
Is it any good?
My Own Worst Enemy is a thinking person's action series that draws obvious inspiration from movies like The Bourne Identity and espionage-oriented video games like Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent. The premise is intriguing, the writing is smart and shrewdly funny, and the characters are well-developed and multidimensional. To top it off, the special effects are impressive, and the use of nontraditional camera angles keeps things interesting.
With so many positives in its favor, My Own Worst Enemy has plenty of potential. But what will happen to Henry and Edward? Will one be absorbed by the other, or will they continue leading parallel lives? Whatever the answer, it's worth waiting for.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the moral and ethical implications of altering someone's brain to give them two distinct personalities. Do you consider Henry and Edward to be two halves of the same person, or are they two completely different people? Do you think the technology already exists to perform this type of procedure on human beings, or is it purely the stuff of fiction? If the technology did exist, do you think it would be OK to use it? If so, under what circumstances? How does this show compare to other TV dramas? Is it more violent? How does that type of content affect viewers?
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| TV rating: | TV-14 |
| Network: | NBC |
| Cast: | Alfre Woodard, Christian Slater, Mike O'Malley |
| Genre: | Drama |
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