Dispatches from Elsewhere
Parents say
Based on 1 review
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Dispatches from Elsewhere
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Dispatches from Elsewhere is a surreal show about a group of people caught up in a mystery that may be a prank, a game, a conspiracy, or something else. Though the themes of the show (the importance of connecting to other people and showing kindness) are somewhat mature and the show isn't always easy to follow, the amount of iffy content is relatively low. Language is infrequent, but does include "s--t," "ass," and "bitch." Two characters share a genuine and slowly building attraction; expect romantic complications, kissing, flirting. A character is trans and everyone accepts her for who she is. Violence is also infrequent, though in one scene a character walking home alone is set upon by a pair of men who she maces and kicks until they're lying on the ground. Characters are realistic and sympathetic, as well as diverse in terms of age, race, gender identity, and socioeconomic status. Messages of curiosity and teamwork predominate, as quirky individuals looking for something team up to solve a mystery.
Community Reviews
the only problem ive had so far is alot of profanity
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What's the Story?
Inspired by a surreal real-life game in San Francisco, DISPATCHES FROM ELSEWHERE was created by and stars Jason Segel as Peter, an unhappy and bored man whose life abruptly changes when he makes contact with a mysterious society. A phone call directs him to an otherworldly office building, where he's "inducted" into the society, after which messages direct him to visit various locations to pick up strange packages or find something or someone, he's not sure what or who. Along the way, he's linked to Simone (Eve Lindley), a joyous adventurer with a traumatic past, Janice (Sally Field), a lonely upper-middle-class woman, and Fredwynn (Andre Benjamin), a man who sees paranoid designs everywhere. None of them are quite sure what force has taken over their lives, but each is searching for something -- is this the way they can find it at last?
Is It Any Good?
Arrestingly odd with a tender message about the value of human connection underneath, this one-of-a-kind series rewards patient viewers who don't mind a twisty narrative throughline. We're notified that we're in for something different from Dispatches from Elsewhere's very first scene, when a piercing Richard E. Grant stares silently from the screen in front of a vivid orange blank background. Twenty-three seconds go by before he begins to speak, just long enough for viewers to have checked to make sure their screen isn't frozen, and, having realized it isn't, to give their full attention to the show. And what a show! Though Segel's hapless Peter starts off with a life so drab even his shirt doesn't have any color, calling a number he ripped off a strange flyer posted to a phone pole gets him invited to an "induction" to a mysterious society (or is it?). Portents, ominous videos, inexplicable phone calls, clues written on walls and objects all follow -- and then in an alleyway shop of "beautiful things," Peter encounters Simone, and realizes there are others on the same adventure as he is.
That's where the heart of Dispatches from Elsewhere lies; the weird happenings are just window dressing (though it'd be a shame to revel said weird happenings, since many are positively jaw-dropping when they occur). We soon meet up with Janice and Fredwynn, who are directed to join Peter and Simone on their quest. Janice thinks this is all an elaborate prank, Fredwynn sees some type of dark governmental conspiracy, Simone believes they're playing a type of avant-garde game. But Peter hopes it's something different: real magic. That's just what this gripping, gorgeous show has, an emotional pull that casts a spell. It will remind viewers of other surreal mystery shows (Russian Doll, Twin Peaks and Lost come to mind), but what makes it ultimately more compelling is the message underneath: the real magic is people finding each other.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether knowing the storyline of Dispatches from Elsewhere makes watching the unfolding action less enjoyable. Is it a spoiler to reveal what force is guiding the action in this show? When did the idea of spoilers, and criticism for sharing them, come about? Do you ever share spoilers? Do you mind others doing it?
Families can also talk about whether the characters in Dispatches from Elsewhere are different than others they've seen portrayed on television. Do they come off as stereotypes or as real people? Do they seem like people you might know? Is anyone a role model? Who, if anyone, can be considered heroic in the series?
How do the characters in Dispatches from Elsewhere demonstrate curiosity and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date: March 1, 2020
- Cast: Jason Segel, Sally Field, Andre Benjamin
- Network: AMC
- Genre: Drama
- Character Strengths: Curiosity, Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love mysteries
Character Strengths
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