Parents' Guide to

Curfew

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Action-packed British dystopia is dark, fun, and violent.

TV Spectrum Action 2019
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What's the Story?

CURFEW is a British dystopian action series about a group of people who participate in the UK's ultimate street race. There is an unstoppable virus on Earth, and the totalitarian government claims that the imposed night curfew is meant to protect its citizens from "mooks," the infected humans who have mutated into savage, nighttime creatures. Those who violate the curfew are quarantined, and become subject to other punishments. But some random groups of people are risking their lives in an illegal and potentially deadly car race created by wealthy tech genius Max Larssen (Adrien Brody), in hopes of winning sanctuary on his island of freedom in the South Pacific. Not everyone will survive, but they'll do anything and everything they can to be the first to cross the finish line.

Is It Any Good?

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

This unique series successfully combines elements of dark, dystopian dramas like The Walking Dead with the adrenaline-inducing action of Fast & Furious-style car racing. It also throws in a bit of laugh-out-loud absurdist humor. The overall premise is a bit over-the-top (all the various elements and genres take some time to jell), and the first few episodes are a little on the slower side. But woven throughout are racers' compelling backstories (played by notable actors like Phoebe Fox, Andi Osho, Sean Bean, Billy Zane, Adrian Lester, and Miranda Richardson). These flashbacks explain why each character is so willing to risk their life to race across the country, and often reveal some strange or terrifying circumstances that underscore how far they might go to win, let alone survive. As their stories quickly and inevitably collide, fears grow, tensions to rise, and the race becomes more riveting. Curfew isn't a series for the faint of heart, but it's well-worth the commitment if you enjoy post-apocalyptic entertainment.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the common reasons movies and TV shows give to explain how dystopian societies are created. What do you think about this show's reason? Do you think your society could ever turn into something like what's featured on Curfew?

  • The creators of Curfew combine quite a few different categories of programming into a single series. Is it done effectively? Can you think of other shows that have tried the same thing and failed?

TV Details

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