Family movie night? There's an app for that
Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.
Frequency (2016)
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Supernatural time-shifting drama has heart, some violence.
Add your rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Frequency (2016)
Community Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Horrible story development
Next series
What's the Story?
Based on the 2000 film of the same name, FREQUENCY is a dramatic series about a woman who communicates with her father two decades after his suspicious death. NYPD Officer Frank Sullivan (Riley Smith) was found dead after going deep undercover, leaving his wife Julie (Devin Kelley) and his young daughter behind and the general public believing that he was corrupt. Twenty years later, NYPD Detective Raimy Sullivan (Peyton List) is building her own law enforcement career under the supervision of her dad's best friend, Police Chief Satch Rayna (Mekhi Phifer), and enjoying her relationship with boyfriend Daniel (Daniel Lawrence). But an unexpected encounter via her dad's old ham radio reconnects Raimy with her father, who's still out there, transmitting from 1996. The past is changed thanks to their exchanges -- but not without devastating consequences. As a result, they have to find ways to rewrite events without wiping out everything (and everyone) they care about in the process.
Is It Any Good?
This series offers viewers an emotionally charged, supernaturally driven crime story that relies on the idea that parallel timelines exist. Stories transition between past and present with relative ease, and the writing offers enough explanation to reduce confusion. Meanwhile, most of Frequency's suspense comes from the resulting "butterfly effect," or the massive impact small actions made in one timeline have on the other.
The revival of a deep father-daughter connection, and the efforts to clear the name of a loyal police officer, make the overall story feel very human, if not predictable at times. But Frequency's dramatic nod to the notion that time and space are flexible (a concept touted by real-life string and chaos theories) gives it the oomph needed to keep viewers tuned in.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what it would be like to be able to communicate with the past or go back and change it, like in Frequency. What would you change? Why? Do you think it would change the person you are today?
What is a ham radio? Did you know that early ham radio inventors and users made major contributions to science, engineering, and industry? What role has the ham radio played in times of emergency in this country?
TV Details
- Premiere date: October 5, 2016
- Cast: Peyton List , Riley Smith , Mekhi Phifer
- Network: CW
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: October 13, 2022
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.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
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