Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Personalized picks at your fingertips

Get the mobile app on iOS and Android

Parents' Guide to

Flash Gordon (1936)

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Campy classic still entertains but shows age in stereotypes.

Flash Gordon (1936) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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

Is It Any Good?

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

Not all entertainment ages gracefully, especially after 75 years or more, but despite its antiquated special effects, and racial and gender stereotypes, Flash Gordon still manages to transport audiences to a faraway planet populated by odd half-breed humans and mutant animals. Sure, any modern kid with a video camera and some run-of-the-mill editing software could improve on the special effects (most notably the toy rocket cruising jerkily across the screen), and you have to set aside everything you know to be true about space travel, but these vintage qualities just add to the show's authentic charm.

It's doubtful that this black-and-white superhero classic will compete with the flashy, CGI-enhanced offerings at kids' disposal today. By comparison the show comes across as a corny B movie-type, with glue-and-string effects that hardly amaze, dramatic cliffhangers that don't pack the punch they did in the '30s, and a cast of characters often more comical than intimidating. Nonetheless, it's always fun to revisit classics, if only to see how much has changed in cinema and to pay homage to the ones that paved the way for the blockbusters of today.

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.

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