Parents' Guide to

Brassic

By Martin Brown, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Bingeworthy Brit crime comedy has swearing, drugs, violence.

TV Hulu Drama 2019
Brassic Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 18+

Based on 2 parent reviews

dakey33
dakey33 Parent of 18+-year-old
September 17, 2022
age 18+

Best series ever

This took me 2 or 3 episodes to get into but I am completely hooked and have watched all episodes in less than a week. I have never watched anything as hilarious in my life. I love it. I hope it continues these guys are all brilliant actors/actresses - would defo recommend this.
FatalCulture
FatalCulture Adult
July 19, 2021
age 17+

It’s all right, certainly better shows

As usual, the review doesn’t go past the first episode. The show is all right, I personally don’t find it the best but it is watchable. That being said it couldn’t hold me past episode three, I got bored and started to not pay attention. There is a lot of swearing, drugs, violence and crime, nudity (including men), strippers working but no genitals, just boobs in the background at the strip club. There are a few sex scenes but no nudity is shown during these and they are brief. So it’s all right for older teens to watch.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

BRASSIC follows the charismatic Vinnie (Joseph Gilgun) and his friends as they get involved with various criminal schemes in the small town of Hawley in Northern England. Vinnie has bipolar disorder, which frequently makes him depressed and sometimes even suicidal. Vinnie's best friend, Dylan (Damien Moloney), is torn between their friendship and his loyalty to his girlfriend, Erin (Michelle Keegan), who has aspirations of moving away from the small town and building a better life elsewhere for herself and her young son. But Vinnie keeps roping Dylan back into a life of drinking, gambling, and petty crime, while Erin becomes increasingly convinced they'll never grow up.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This series seems to crib a lot of its character arcs and plot points from elsewhere, but it's electric to watch. Brassic's energy specifically recalls the late 90s/early 2000s rush of British crime dramas popularized by Danny Boyle (Shallow Grave, Trainspotting) and Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels; Snatch). It's not a complete throwback -- character threads such as Vinnie's grappling with bipolar disorder make the content feel current -- but in an era where many dramas move at a glacial pace, Brassic earns its bingeworthiness on momentum alone.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about mental illness. How does Brassic treat Vinnie's bipolar disorder? What other shows address similar situations?

  • What do you know about Vinnie's community? How is he viewed by his friends? Other townspeople? Do you think Vinnie has healthy relationships with his friends? Why or why not?

TV Details

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