Parents' Guide to

Charlie's Angels

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Violent, sexy remake is corny in a whole new way.

TV ABC Drama 2011
Charlie's Angels Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Charlie's Angels (2011) TV Series: Scene #1
  • Charlie's Angels (2011) TV Series: Scene #2
  • Charlie's Angels (2011) TV Series: Scene #3

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 1 parent review

diet cheery dr peper
diet cheery dr peper Adult
October 14, 2011
age 11+

good show

i am a man who has been watching this for the past few weeks and have had a blast with these ladys on thursday night and these ladys have rocked the angels in a whole new way

This title has:

Great role models
Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Making over the iconic 1970s series of the same name, CHARLIE'S ANGELS moves the action to Miami, where unseen-man-in-charge Charlie Townsend (voiced by Robert Wagner) assigns his "Angels" to an ever-changing roster of dangerous cases. There's Abby (Rachael Taylor), a girl of means with sticky fingers; Kate (Annie Ilonzeh), a once-lawful cop turned dirty; and Eve (Minka Kelly), a tenacious street racer whose friend Gloria was once an Angel, too.

Is It Any Good?

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

Viewers ready to latch onto the concept of three stylish, powerful women whose impressive moves command respect (until they open their mouths...) might be entertained. But if not, the Angels are in danger of joining the ranks of other failed rebooted classic TV icons like Knight Rider and Bionic Woman.

Iconic as it is, the original Charlie's Angels wasn't known for its powerhouse acting. (In fact, it was arguably more famous for Farrah Fawcett's feathered hair.) So perhaps we shouldn't expect this amped-up remake to deliver performances that feel rooted in reality. The hammy dialogue doesn't help. But combined with the overall high production value, you get the sense that "hammy" wasn't really what the show's creators were going for.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Charlie's Angels' theme of justice vs. revenge. Can you come up with a real-world example to help illustrate the difference between the two concepts? Which concept tends to produce a more positive outcome?

  • How does violence play into the plot? Does it seem excessive? If you've seen the original 1970s series, how does the level of violence compare?

  • Is the show sending any messages -- subtle or otherwise -- about gender and empowerment? How do the Angels compare to other female role models on television?

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.

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