Parents' Guide to Dear Child

TV Netflix Drama 2023
Dear Child TV show poster: A little girl stands in the center of a shattered snow globe.

Common Sense Media Review

Stephanie Morgan By Stephanie Morgan , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 16+

Disturbing, bloody abduction story has sexual violence.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 16+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

age 17+

Based on 2 kid reviews

What's the Story?

Thirteen years after going missing, Lena and her daughter escape the man who's kept them and her young son prisoner. Through flashbacks and conversations with Lena's daughter, the story of their trauma begins to unfold. As police scramble to find Lena's son, though, it soon becomes clear that this story isn't as straightforward as it seems.

Is It Any Good?

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

This is a series that manages to make your skin crawl while drawing you deeper into its mystery. Dear Child's ability to deliver unexpected twists makes it an engrossing experience despite the implausible behavior of a few of its characters. The series captivates with an enthralling narrative, keeping viewers constantly on edge, and though the disturbing subject matter is sometimes hard to watch, the unfurling story is also hard to look away from.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the intense and graphic violence in Dear Child. Remind your child that they can take a break if their emotional engagement feels too intense. Consider asking if any of the scary content they watch bothers them later, like at night.

  • Families can talk about Dear Child's implied (versus overt) violence. Which has more of an impact on you -- what you see, or what you don't? Why do you think that is?

  • How does Dear Child compare to the slew of crime dramas currently on television? How is it different from what you expected?

TV Details

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Dear Child TV show poster: A little girl stands in the center of a shattered snow globe.

What to Watch Next

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