Parents' Guide to

Bellevue

By Jenny Nixon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Eerie small-town crime drama is violent but engrossing.

TV WGN Drama 2018
Bellevue Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This moody, absorbing drama has a lot going for it, including a female lead who is allowed to be at once sympathetic and unlikable, flawed but fierce. The atmosphere is suitably eerie, a tangible gloom making it readily apparent that Bellevue is a town full of broken dreams. The dynamic between Annie and her boss (and erstwhile father figure) Peter is terrific. Paquin and Doyle really show their range here. Newcomer Sadie O'Neil -- who is a transgender woman in real life -- does her character Jesse justice, with a sensitive portrayal that elevates her beyond mere "victim" status.

With that being said, the show is packed with so many storylines and twists that it begins to teeter right on the edge of overambitious. The dialogue can also be wince-inducing at times; Annie speaks her thoughts aloud a lot, which is simply unnecessary and starts to get annoying. It's almost always better to show not tell, and missteps like this are what make the show good but not great.

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate