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Third Watch

(Rated TV-14, Drama, Starring Michael Beach, Bobby Cannavale, Molly Price, Where to watch: A&E, Syndicated, DVD)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Heavy NYC hero drama is too violent for kids.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The primary characters are mostly "good guys," though they're all humanly flawed. Characters struggle with attitudes, anger, divorce, infidelity, and more.

  • Violence:

    Frequent bloody, detailed violence -- often related to traumas -- including gunshots, death scenes, tense chases with guns, and physical violence (such as one scene in which a police officer kicks a suspect in the face). Deals directly with the impact and aftereffects of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

  • Sex:

    Romance, intimacy, flirting, some sexual joking and passionate clinches.

  • Language:

    Lots of profanity for a show that originally aired on broadcast television. "Bitch," "ass," etc. are frequent, and stronger offenders ("f--k, "s--t") aren't always bleeped/muted in cable repeats.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some social drinking. Suspects and other peripheral characters sometimes smoke or do drugs.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Third Watch

Parents need to know that this intense crime/trauma drama is meant for adults. Detailed scenes of death (a cop chokes on his own blood while trying to communicate his last words for his family) and bloody violence (a surprise flurry of gunshots instantly kills one person, whose blood is splattered across a car window) are standard fare. Language is particularly strong for what was originally a network show -- expect to hear "bitch," "ass," and sometimes even more; repeats run on cable, which has looser standards. Mature themes regarding relationships -- friendly, hostile, and intimate -- permeate the show.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about whether the situations presented on the show seem realistic. Do you think the violence and/or emotional content is played up? Why? What makes shows like this one compelling -- the characters, the issues they deal with, or both? Families can also discuss what compels people to choose risky professions. What would we do if no one wanted to do jobs like these? What are the benefits of working in a high-stress field like emergency services?
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