Parents' Guide to

Departure

By Martin Brown, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Flat mystery drama features mild violence, sexual content.

TV Peacock Drama 2020
Departure Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

DEPARTURE is about a London-bound flight that mysteriously disappears over the Atlantic Ocean. Investigator Kendra Malley (Archie Panjabi) leads a team of experts to figure out what exactly happened. Was it a natural disaster? Terrorism? Pilot negligence? Malley must work through her own secret trauma to find out.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Plot-driven mysteries tend to rely on awesome set-ups to hook people, and that's exactly where this series falters, right out on the runway. The set-up (a group of strangers board a plane that crashes mid-flight) is already very familiar, and the show does nothing to illustrate why this crash might be different. Instead, details about the plane's disappearance slowly pile up over time. Sure enough, each one is another cliche. It's almost as if Departure uses its plot points as shorthand, counting on viewers having seen all of the other procedurals they're taken from.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the disappearance of Flight 716. What do you think happened? What could have caused the crash or disappearance? How do you think the characters were involved, if at all?

  • Why is the team of experts brought in to investigate the disappearance? What are the various things they hope to gain? What do they think caused the disappearance? How do they go about investigating? How are they proven right or wrong in their theories?

  • What elements do mystery shows need to have to be compelling? How does Departure differ from other mystery shows you've seen?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate