Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Ho-hum police procedural with dead bodies and scary stuff.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
In grim crime drama CROSSING LINES, former NYPD detective Carl Hickman (William Fitchner) is all done with police work, particularly since his right hand is so maimed he can no longer hold a pen or a gun. His brilliant investigative mind is still sharp, but he has no plans to use it on criminals. However, his old friend Detective Major Louis Daniel (Marc Lavoine) has other plans for him: Come to work at the International Criminal Court, investigating tough cases with criminals who cross European borders. First on the docket: A serial killer who preys on young women. Fitchner and a team of international investigators have to find him before he kills again, all the while negotiating tricky international politics.
Is It Any Good?
It's Law & Order: The Hague. Or at least that what this retread of other crime 'n' violence cop shows feels like. It's more creepy dudes whose faces appear only in shadow, stalking hot young women who scream piteously and then fall down in the mud and break their heel, allowing them to be stabbed to death. In the credits, you'll appear as "Victim #3." Thank you for your good work!
It's disappointing, because Crossing Lines did nab itself a good cast. Donald Sutherland, great to see you again! William Fitchner has a weird, great face; fun to watch him. But we've seen this show before. Too many times, in fact. The Bridge does international police work better. Go watch that instead.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether Crossing Lines is a realistic look at criminal work. Do real cops have jobs like this? Is this what real investigations look like?
Compare Crossing Lines with another police procedural, like Law & Order: SVU? How are the shows different? How are they the same?
Does it bother you that there are sexual connotations to the murders on Crossing Lines, i.e. only very beautiful women are killed, the viewer see them in states of undress, we see them from the point of view of the killer, etc.? Would you want your daughter to see these types of crimes depicted? What about your son?
TV Details
- Premiere date : June 23, 2013
- Cast : Donald Sutherland , Marc Lavoine , William Fichtner
- Network : NBC
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : June 11, 2020
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