Parents' Guide to Billy the Kid

TV Epix Drama 2022
Poster image for the TV show BILLY THE KID, designed to look like an Old West-style "WANTED" poster. The main character is pictured from shoulders up, wearing a black hat and looking up from under the brim of his hat.

Common Sense Media Review

Jenny Nixon By Jenny Nixon , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Old West outlaw's tale is packed with slurs and sexism.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Billy the Kid Trailer
  • A group of five men dressed in Western-style gear sit atop horses standing close together. Behind them, a rolling hill and a bit of the sky.
  • A smiling woman with blue eyes and long, dark hair is pictured from the chest up. She is wearing a navy blue dress with long sleeves and is sitting in a chair in front of a window. Some sunlight peeks through the window and through slats in the wooden walls.
  • A brown-haired man in a dark shirt and suspenders stands in front of a bright window, he appears to be listening to someone with a concerned look on his face. Two people stand behind him, one a man with a beard and long grey hair and another in a hat, with their face obscured.
  • A young boy with brown hair is pictured standing outside, behind a wooden table covered with various guns. He wears a grey shirt and suspenders, and looks offscreen with a furrowed brow.

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

 

 

See all 1 parent review
age 14+

Based on 3 kid reviews

 

 

See all 3 kid reviews

What's the Story?

BILLY THE KID tells the story of the early years of William H. Bonney, the eldest son of poor Irish immigrants who moved west in search of a better life and who later grew up to become a legendary Old West outlaw. The series delves into his pre-gunslinger days as he and his fractured family navigate the threats and opportunities of this new land. We meet the people and see the influences that converged to turn a vulnerable orphan into the murderous fugitive who remains one of the most romanticized anti-heroes in American history.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 1 ):
Kids say ( 3 ):

The real-life inspiration for this series was by all accounts a thief and murderer, recast here in his eight-episode origin story as a tragic victim of circumstance with an eye for justice and honor. Billy the Kid isn't the first show to mythologize a mysterious historical figure like this, and definitely breaks no new ground when it comes to its depictions of minorities and women. Obviously, opportunities were limited and life was not kind to either group during this time period, but the way the series uses them as props to shade in Billy's humanity -- while not actually allowing them to develop as two-dimensional characters -- is lazy and reductive.

Whatever action the show presents doesn't help alleviate things, either, as the show's pacing is a dull slog going through the same tiresome motions of every other cowboy tale you've seen. In a post-Deadwood world, you've really got to bring something new and nuanced to the table when it comes to Westerns on TV and unfortunately, Billy isn't nearly up to the task.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about tall tales and legends and the way they get started. How do you separate myth from reality?

  • Talk about the attraction people have to "outlaws." What makes someone an outlaw in your eyes -- and when, if ever, is it okay to break the rules?

  • Can you think of any other examples where a film or TV show has romanticized a "bad boy" (or girl) and turned them into a hero? How do these examples compare to Billy the Kid?

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

Poster image for the TV show BILLY THE KID, designed to look like an Old West-style "WANTED" poster. The main character is pictured from shoulders up, wearing a black hat and looking up from under the brim of his hat.

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