Common Sense Media Review
By Megan Andersen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Family secrets, sex, language in South African teen drama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Blood & Water
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
BLOOD & WATER begins with a family birthday party celebrating an absent 17-year-old daughter. The parents, hosting the party with their two remaining children, endure the annual family tradition of observing the date their missing daughter was born. The family party is solemn and uncomfortable as we find out the parents are now separated and that the daughter may have been trafficked. When the living sister is invited out to a different party by her best friend, she sneaks out. The party the teen girls attend is on the outskirts of town and hosted by an incredibly wealthy teen. There, our main character, Puleng (Amamkele Qamata), is exposed to free-spirited dancing, drinking, sexual acts, and witnesses something that will become key to future episodes. When she realizes that the party is in celebration of a teenage girl, Fikile (Khosi Ngema), who looks very similar to her and who's turning the age of her missing sister on her missing sister's birthday, she begins to unravel a mystery much larger than she could have imagined.
Is It Any Good?
This easy-to-binge show has strong acting and the suspense builds with each episode. Blood & Water unfolds at an exciting pace, and it's well-written with cutting high school dialogue. It's filled with examples of the potentially devastating mistakes teens can make when left to their own devices.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about topics how Blood & Water explores various family dynamics. How can traumatic events affect parents and children on different levels?
Families can talk about how this show presents its teen characters. Do you find their general experiences realistic? Are they meant to be? Does entertainment have to reflect real life to be appealing, or is the escape from reality the draw?
TV Details
- Premiere date : May 20, 2020
- Cast : Ama Qamata
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : March 29, 2024
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