Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Intriguing premise enlivens violent cop procedural.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
Walter William Clark Jr. (Theo James) is the GOLDEN BOY of this show's title, the youngest police commissioner in history. "It's been a quick ride," says a reporter interviewing Clark. "But it cost you." What did it cost him exactly? We flash back seven years to find out, meeting up with Clark just after an act of heroism landed him a spot in Homicide about a decade before he could have gotten there otherwise. He's tasked with handling cold cases but soon elbows himself onto more high-profile work. His partner, veteran Detective Don Owen (Chi McBride), counsels him to have patience and maturity and despairs of Clark's ruthless ambition, while colleagues like mercurial Detective Christian Arroyo (Kevin Alejandro) wait around to see if Clark will implode under pressure. Meanwhile, Clark's sister Agnes has taken up with an abusive "smack peddling drummer junkie" and doesn't look like she's going to be done with him anytime soon.
Is It Any Good?
Another cop show, really? Yet Golden Boy boasts a terrific cast, including the gravitas-laden Chi McBride in a lead role, and compelling Theo James (you may recognize him as Lady Mary's fateful Turkish suitor from Downton Abbey) at the center of the action.
The show's flashback premise is also not unique; viewers will recall the gimmick from shows like The Nine and Lost. The formula is oft-used, because it works: Viewers will be particularly intrigued by the hints dropped about mayhem to come, and want to know how Clark got from where he was to the "big chair at the 1PP." And thus despite being nothing new, the show works.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether the character of William Walter Clark is supposed to be a hero or an anti-hero. What is the difference? Can a character be aspects of both?
Compare Golden Boy to some other police dramas you may have seen, like Law & Order or Cold Case. How is Golden Boy like these dramas? How is it different?
What type of audience do you think Golden Boy is trying to attract? Is their viewer male, female? Young, old? Rich, poor? College-educated or not? What brings you to these conclusions?
TV Details
- Premiere date : February 26, 2013
- Cast : Bonnie Somerville , Chi McBride , Holt McCallany , Kevin Alejandro , Theo James
- Network : CBS
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : December 8, 2025
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