Parents' Guide to CHAOS

TV CBS Comedy 2011
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Common Sense Media Review

Kari Croop By Kari Croop , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Moderate violence in action-driven spy spoof.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

What's the Story?

When aspiring spy Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez) reports for his first day of work at the CIA, he's unexpectedly re-assigned to the agency's Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services team -- otherwise known as CHAOS -- where he'll function as a mole to report any funny business. But when Rick's new co-workers (Eric Close, James Murray, and Tim Blake Nelson) uncover the ruse, they leverage his skills for their own gain in a series of rogue operations.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

With its everyman protagonist and exotic locations, Chaos is bound to draw comparisons to the quirky spy comedy Chuck. And, like Chuck, it's refreshingly kid-friendly for teens who like their action with a side of laughs. But while the show doesn't quite hit all of the right notes, the core members of the CHAOS team have promising chemistry.

Maybe the real question though, amid seriously real global instability, is: Are we in the mood to laugh at ourselves?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the show's tone and its lighthearted take on keeping the world safe. Would the show be more or less enjoyable if the tone were entirely serious? Does the show paint the world as more or less of a dangerous place than it actually is?

  • How does the level of violence on this show compare with similar spy series on TV?

  • How do these agents compare to other spies you've seen on TV and in the movies? Why do so many movies and TV shows about espionage tend to glamorize the job?

TV Details

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