Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Creepy drama has devilish themes and dark, violent visuals.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
When ambitious couple Henry Martin (Dave Annable) and Jane Van Veen (Rachael Taylor) land cushy new jobs as the co-managers of a posh Manhattan apartment building, they gain part-time employment along with impossibly luxurious digs. But the more they get to know the other residents at 666 PARK AVENUE -- including their mysterious employer (Terry O'Quinn) and his glamorous wife (Vanessa Williams) -- the more they begin to wonder whether they've made a deal with the devil himself.
Is It Any Good?
A blend of Rosemary's Baby, the BBC's Bedlam, and Ghostbusters (minus the proton packs), 666 Park Avenue is hardly the most original -- or believable -- show on television. But it still delivers some well-produced scares along with an effectively intriguing premise that makes you want to keep tabs on the Drake's seemingly doomed tenants, if that's your thing. It's also a decent pick for parents and teens to watch together, with nothing too scary or too sexy to get too worried about.
There's an element of camp as well, and that's much-needed in terms of tone. (Because, let's face it: how seriously can you take a script that has the devil and his wife living on Park Avenue?) Much like ABC's soapy drama Revenge, this has "guilty pleasure" written all over it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the popularity of spooky programming with supernatural themes. Why are ghosts and otherworldly beings such trendy fodder for movies, TV shows, and other media?
Do you think 666 Park Avenue is scary enough, or could it be scarier? Why do people purposely choose to watch things that will frighten them? What's the appeal?
How does this series differ from the book that inspired it? What reasons would the show's writers and producers have for making the changes they did?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 30, 2012
- Cast : Rachael Taylor , Terry O'Quinn , Vanessa Williams
- Network : ABC
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Book Characters
- TV rating :
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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