Parents' Guide to

Black Box

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Mature medical drama studies mental illness, hypersexuality.

TV ABC Drama 2014
Black Box Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

age 14+

The AY MAYRA Box.

AY MAYRA. I LOVE The Black Box. And I also LOVE Dr. Catherine, with a pretty name of Catherine. I guess It's the best Medical Drama I have seen since House. Even if TV-14 for "S", I don't notice any sex. As far as I have noticed, there is maybe 1 sex scene. But, there are quite a bit of bloody situations shown and implied.

This title has:

Great role models
Too much violence

Is It Any Good?

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

When Black is in one of her manic highs, she really makes it look good. She slinks down alleyways and through hotel lobbies, drunk on her own chemistry. She dances, she flirts, she has fantasies about flying over cities as she's precariously perched on a balcony railing. These dark episodes are what gives Black Box its juice: You never know when Black is going to break off from handling her family members or patients and go take a taxi to a nightclub to pick up a sailor. Reilly is compelling in such moments, and it turns what could have been a retread of House into something more interesting.

However, it's not for the youngest members of your household. Black's Jekyll-Hyde behavior is confusing for young viewers, and parents won't want them to see Black in her wacky and sexual highs, nor flushing her medication down the toilet. There's also a lot of medical jargon, complicated family dynamics, and philandering that make this one not for kiddies.

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