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Parents' Guide to

Flack

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Uneven British PR drama full of adult behavior.

TV Pop TV Drama 2019
Flack Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 18+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Abster2
Abster2 Adult
January 26, 2021
age 18+

Yuck

Ok, I’m only 4 episodes in, so maybe it will get better. But def don’t recommend this show for teens. It’s TV-14 so thought it might be ok. Nope. Graphic sex scenes, lots of drug/use , discussion of sexual violence & pornography. Nothing of value...
Leo P.
Leo P. Adult
March 25, 2019
age 18+

Nothing positive, nothing to gain from over the top sexual show

Betrayal, pedophelic relations (with a 15 year old boy in the first episode), racism, a 17 year old's sex tape is recorded, drugs and that's just from the first 2 episodes. The show offers nothing for a family. It's unnecessarily crude and long without any redeeming characters.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

FLACK is a dramatic series about a publicist who manages and protects the reputations of her firm's high-profile clients throughout London. Anna Paquin plays Robyn, a talented American public relations professional (known in the United Kingdom as "flacks") who tries to bury the scandals surrounding the U.K.'s biggest celebrities. Under the direction of inscrutable boss Caroline (Sophie Okonedo), she works tirelessly alongside colleague and friend Eve (Lydia Wilson) to swiftly and quietly handle each crisis that comes their way. Also assisting her is brand-new, and rather inexperienced, intern Melody (Rebecca Benson). Robyn works nonstop to get her clients' lives under control before they become public relations disasters, but she can't seem to get a grip on her private life. As a result, she does what she can to hide her own dysfunctions from the people closest to her, including her sensitive sister Belle (played by Meghan Treadway), and her partner, Sam (Arinzé Kene).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This knotty, uneven series features what's now a common tale: a strong woman who is great at her job but manages to sabotage her own life every step of the way. Robyn, who was unable to control the events in her troubled family's past, commits herself to trying to control everyone else's life, and isn't afraid to lie, bribe, or engage in other behaviors to do it. It's billed as a dramatic comedy in the United Kingdom, but stateside viewers may not appreciate Flack's sometimes subtle, often abrasive humor. Meanwhile, it often feels as if it is trying too hard to insert Robyn's personal struggles within the conflicts created by her clients. Nonetheless, viewers who stick with it will find the attempts to "fix" each public relations disaster filled with some entertaining dramatic tension.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why public relations specialists are called "flacks." Where do you think that term came from? Does PR sound like an interesting career?

  • Flack shows people engaging in lots of risky behaviors, including sex and drug use. What does showing these behaviors add to the story (if anything)? Can the stories here be told without showing them?

TV Details

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