Parents' Guide to

Demons

By Will Wade, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Thriller about monster-hunting teen mixes fun, scares.

TV BBC America Science Fiction 2009
Demons Poster Image

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What's the Story?

Luke Rutherford (Christian Cooke) seems like a normal teenager -- but a powerful secret courses through his veins. He's the last descendent of Abraham Van Helsing, the famous vampire hunter, and is destined to carry on his family's work. All his life, Luke has sometimes glimpsed strange things out of the corner of his eyes, but he doesn't understand why until the sudden arrival of Rupert Galvin (Philip Glenister), his late father's best friend. Galvin reveals that the world of the undead is very much alive ... and that it's time for Luke to join him and help defeat the demons, monsters, and ghouls of the world.

Is It Any Good?

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

DEMONS is a fresh take on a classic theme: An ordinary person is plucked from obscurity to assume a great destiny, usually with a bit of supernatural help (see Harry Potter, Buffy, King Arthur, et al.). There's a reason this storyline is so common -- it works. Who doesn't want to think that they're secretly destined for a life of magic and greatness?

This version works, too. Cooke is appealing as a teenager trying to juggle school, a social life, and his extracurricular activities chasing the undead. And Glenister, as the veteran, adds a bit of jaded panache. The series quickly creates a compelling backstory, introducing Luke's tutors Mina Harker (Zoe Tapper) -- a blind pianist with a complicated history -- and Father Simeon (Richard Wilson), a mysterious cleric who isn't always certain what century it is. There are plenty of TV shows out there about a secret world of monsters and demons just barely hidden from ordinary mortals, some worse than others. While Demons doesn't completely set itself apart from the pack, it's certainly better than average.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the show's messages. Is it OK that other elements of Luke's life take a back seat to his monster hunting? Is Luke a role model? Why or why not?

  • What do you think would happen if Luke chose not to embrace his fate? Why do so many popular stories feature ordinary people who suddenly realize they have a great destiny?

  • How does this show portray the undead? How does that compare to the depiction of evil spirits in other TV shows and movies?

TV Details

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