Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Strong female lead uses sex, alcohol to relieve stress.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
Chicago police officer Abby Kowalski (Rachael Carpani) is AGAINST THE WALL when she takes a promotion working as a detective in the Chicago Police Department's Internal Affairs division, which investigates crimes and misdemeanors inside the department. Because now, she's getting paid to question the actions of "her own" -- including her retired cop father (Treat Williams) and three police officer brothers (Brandon Quinn, Steve Byers, and James Thomas).
Is It Any Good?
Against the Wall is all about putting women in charge -- even those who are visibly pregnant -- and that certainly makes it stand out in a flooded sea of crime shows that tend to pair strong secondary female characters up with stronger male leads. Abby Kowalski and her expectant partner are both flawed and highly watchable in their efforts to understand each other as women and get along in a male-dominated workplace.
But at times, Against the Wall goes a bit too far with the girl power. In the show's first episode, for example, a seemingly tough and blatantly burly cop suspected of battery confesses (spoiler alert!) that it's actually his wife who's the serial abuser at home. And while that's a perfectly plausible plotline for, say, a Lifetime Original Movie...it plays like a slightly laughable "gotcha" in an otherwise serious script.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stereotypes and nontraditional careers for women. How do the characters cope with being the minority in a male-dominated environment? Is it even an issue? Do these characters' actions undermine or reinforce traditional ideas about women in this line of work?
Is the main character's habit of having casual sex to relieve stress any more surprising, simply because she's a woman? If she were a man, would it be more of a non-issue?
Is it smart to use casual sex or alcohol as a stress reliever? What are some healthier ways to reduce day-to-day anxieties?
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 31, 2011
- Cast : Kathy Baker , Rachael Carpani , Treat Williams
- Network : Lifetime Television
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 20, 2019
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