Parents' Guide to

BrainDead

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Odd mix of sci-fi, politics is a mockery of modern problems.

TV CBS Drama 2016
BrainDead Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 15+

Based on 1 parent review

Natalia K.
Natalia K. Parent of 11-year-old
June 18, 2020
age 15+

Good cinema, just not for all maybe

Anyone watching this TV-show should know that it is full of political references. It's a lot of fun if you get those, while if you happen to have no idea about Republicans and Democrats, it'll just bore you to death. See, the only other thing that's in the TV-show is aliens, and that's not enough to last you 12 episodes. Btw, the alien ants are more disgusting than scary, so you're unlikely to have nightmares after this. I loved the main idea, that extremist views of any kind make us dumb and prevent us from cooperating. Food for thought for many people, if you ask me.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

When the financing on her latest film falls through, documentary filmmaker Laurel Healy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) strikes a desperate deal with her father, agreeing to work for her U.S. senator brother (Danny Pino) for six months in exchange for half the money she needs. But while looking into a seemingly routine constituent complaint, Laurel learns that Washington is literally becoming BRAINDEAD, thanks to an infestation of alien origin.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Instead of smart satire, this promising but tone-deaf "comic-thriller" aims to explain America's problems away via an absurdly implausible metaphor: alien infestation. Maybe it looked funny on paper, but the joke falls particularly flat in the face of terrorism, discrimination, and gun violence, not to mention a contentious presidential election that's fanning the flames of a city -- and, more broadly, a nation -- that's already on fire.

Will BrainDead make you laugh? Maybe, though it largely eschews comedy in favor of its farcical sci-fi plot. But one thing it won't do is teach you much about the way American politics actually works or how we've arrived at our current delirium. True analysis of the American mind would be far too frightening -- and rather unfunny indeed.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about BrainDead's take on Washington politics and the role the news media plays in shaping public opinion. Improbable plot aside, how realistic are the show's portrayals of politicians and other talking heads? How do issues explored on BrainDead compare to current events?

  • Does BrainDead have an agenda? (Does it take sides, call anyone out, or favor any one particular ideology?) Will a show like BrainDead fix any of the problems plaguing American politics, or is it merely designed to entertain?

  • Is BrainDead a comedy, a drama, or a sci-fi thriller? How does the show blend elements of all three genres, and does it work?

TV Details

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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.

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