Parents' Guide to

Emergence

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Supernatural mystery has strong cast, lots of violence.

TV ABC Drama 2019
Emergence Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Emergence TV Series: Sheriff Jo Evans finds Piper.
  • Emergence TV Series: Piper.
  • Emergence TV Series: Piper and Ed.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 2 parent reviews

melissaeeaton
melissaeeaton Adult
January 25, 2020
age 10+

Outstanding

I love this show the cast the music the story line and yes it handles very hard to talk about things like cancer and divorce but it does so in a very considerate manner .I would not have a problem watching this with my 11 year old grandaughter

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Tracie Lynne Shepherd
Tracie Lynne Shepherd Adult
November 21, 2019
age 16+

Kids might not understand

Emergence is a great show, however there are many scenes of violence. Kids under sixteen may not understand Emily, Kindred or Piper. There are also many scenes with blood and drugs that kids may not understand. Great show though with a very inspiring cast and plot!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The dramatic series EMERGENCE stars Allison Tolman as Sheriff Jo Evans, who finds a mysterious girl (Alexa Swinton) at the site of a plane crash with no memory of who she is or how she got there. But strange things surrounding the accident begin to occur, and Jo soon realizes that the little girl they now call "Piper" is somehow central to everything that is happening. She begins to secretly investigate what's going on, with the help of reporter Benny Gallagher (Owain Yeoman) and Officer Chris Minetto (Robert Bailey Jr.). But her attempts to keep Piper safe draw her family, including her teen daughter Mia (Ashley Aufderheide), ailing father Ed (Clancy Brown), and ex-husband Alex (Donald Faison), deeper into the mystery.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (7 ):

This supernatural mystery series offers a strong but sometimes frustrating story that has more questions than answers. But the show's ensemble cast is very solid, making the story world a compelling one. The pace of the action allows the events to unfold in a way that's easy to follow, but it's fast enough to remain interesting. While some of the dramatic events are predictable, the show still manages to be entertaining, again thanks to its great crew of actors. If you're looking for a mystery show to watch, Emergence will fit the bill.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in the media. Is it necessary to show bloody images to underscore violent moments?

  • What kinds of real-life conspiracies does Emergence tap into? Do you think any of the show is based on real events?

TV Details

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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.

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