Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
High-society whodunit downplays sex, drugs, and violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
When pharmaceutical heiress Vivian Bowers (Bree Williamson) is found dead of an apparent drug overdose, her childhood best friend, Detective Joanna Locasto (Meagan Good), goes undercover as a live-in houseguest in Vivian's sweeping family home to find out whether it was actually a homicide. But living with Vivian's privileged parents (Victor Garber and Katherine LaNasa) requires Joanna to become a master of DECEPTION -- and play both sides of a love triangle involving her former partner (Laz Alonso) and Vivian's brother Julian (Wes Brown), a former flame.
Is It Any Good?
Between the lofty living and pathological lying, there's no denying that Deception has a lot in common with the guilty-pleasure ABC drama Revenge. But once you've seen both shows, this NBC challenger feels far subtler and more grounded in reality, despite a few hard-to-swallow plot points (like the fact that the Bowerses would want a house guest in the first place). In terms of acting and suspense, this isn't The Killing. But the story does succeed at delivering some surprising twists -- you'll just need patience thanks to writers who don't typically drop too many bombs.
On the plus side for parents, the main character makes for a strong female lead who has good intentions in spite of her gift for deception, and she generally makes smart choices when faced with difficult decisions. That means you get your dishy soap with a welcome side of role-modeling.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the ethics of using dishonest tactics in pursuit of truth and justice. Is it OK to lie and misrepresent yourself if you're doing it for a noble cause -- or if it's part of your job? How far would you go if someone asked you to live a double life?
How does Deception compare to Revenge, another popular prime-time drama about lies and duplicity? Which show would you prefer to watch?
Who's the target audience for this type of drama -- teens or adults? How can you tell? Does it resemble any other TV dramas?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 7, 2013
- Cast : Laz Alonzo , Meagan Good , Victor Garber
- Network : NBC
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 21, 2019
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