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Parents' Guide to

Backstrom

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Crime dramedy with offensive lead misses the mark.

TV Fox Drama 2015
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BACKSTROM is moderately successful at the daunting challenge of blending crime drama with Wilson's considerable comic talents, but there are numerous moments in which the colliding forces are more awkward than symbiotic, coming off as confusing to viewers as they almost suggest a parody instead of a comedy. (Am I supposed to laugh? Is it trying to be serious?) Ultimately the story's darkness overrides the rest, and Backstrom's sullen, disheveled demeanor and self-sabotage fit better against this backdrop than they do against the fits of attempted levity.

Fans of producer Hart Hanson's other crime drama, Bones, will notice some similarities between the shows, particularly with regard to the cast's unique personalities that invite lots of discord and banter. The story's intended mature audience can take Backstrom's offensiveness, self-destructive impulses, and generally unappealing nature in stride, but younger viewers will get mixed messages from his caustic qualities and wholly unhealthy lifestyle.

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