Eden
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Eden
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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 Eden is a dark Australian series about a young woman who goes missing under mysterious circumstances in a small, picturesque beach town. It features lots of mature content, including strong sexual content (including simulated sex scenes), drug dealing and use, and addiction-related plot lines. Classism and living with trauma are also themes. Arguing is frequent, and drinking and cigarette and pot smoking is often visible.
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What's the Story?
From the creators of Skins and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries comes EDEN, an Australian drama about the disappearance of a young woman in a small New South Wales beach community. When 20-year-old cellist Scout (Sophie Wilde) returns home to Byron Bay after a year at The Jullliard School, she's surrounded by beautiful beaches, forests, and the family drama she left behind. Nonetheless, she’s looking forward to spending time with her best friend Hedwig (Bebe Bettencourt), and hopes take their relationship to the next level. But Scout soon realizes that Hedwig has changed a lot since she's been gone. What follows is a series of mysterious events that reveal an ugly side to the coastal paradise.
Is It Any Good?
The sultry series, which is written solely by women, attempts the unravel the puzzle of a young woman’s strange disappearance within a provocative story world. Each Eden episode is told from the point of view of a different character, and highlights their individual experiences within the context of the mystery that surrounds them. Also central to the series is the burgeoning love story between Scout and Hedwig, which is cut short because of events that ensue.
It's a solid premise, and the cast's morally ambiguous behavior heightens the enigmatic nature of the show. But when it comes to other themes, like addiction, trauma, mysticism, and classism, the narrative feels uneven and underdeveloped. Some of cinematic, arthouse-type scenes are interesting, but don't add much to the story. As a result, Eden leaves you feeling it was trying to take you on a deeper, more conceptual journey, but never quite succeeds. Some folks may consider it a guilty pleasure, but as far as mysteries go, it doesn’t live up to its potential.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk what makes a good mystery series. Do you have a favorite? What about it kept you wanting to know what the real story was?
Many of the cast members on Eden engage in risky behaviors, like drinking, smoking, and taking recreational drugs. Is there a way to tell this story without including this type of content? What impact can watching this kind of activity have on kids?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 12, 2021
- Cast: Sophie Wilde, Bebe Bettencourt, Alexandria Steffensen
- Network: Spectrum
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: NR
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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