Parents' Guide to

Greenleaf

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Oprah's church-themed drama is soapy but dark.

TV OWN Drama 2016
Greenleaf Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 16 parent reviews

Bill C.
Bill C. Adult
March 22, 2023
age 2+

It needs to be trashed!!!

Very disappointing! Churches do not need to be attacked by an x-rated production such as this. Church leaders need to honor God and members need to clean up issues in their lives but to exploit an deliver such filth to a world ready to sabotage the church anyway, this is very heartbreaking. Our church, I would consider a very large church and I am a sinner in it. I don't claim to be perfect but I pray for my shortcomings and those of my brothers and sisters who fail, as I do, on a daily bases but to determine to deliver this message to an evil world- - IT IS NOT NEEDED!!! Drugs/Sex/Filthy Language/Corruption/etc tied to a church delivered to a world ready to bounce on it is not God's desire!!! I know that from reading God's word!!

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
1 person found this helpful.
jean R.
jean R. Parent of 18-year-old
March 2, 2023
age 18+

Greenleaf and its attack on marriage and heterosexual relationships

The main characters, in this Oprah produced series, like Lynn Whitfield were very good, but the overall anti-Christian, anti-marriage messages in this series really stood out for me. Time and again, and as the series unfolded, heterosexual relationships were depicted as dysfunctional and unsafe especially married ones. Either their partner was assaulting them, raping them, being unfaithful or putting their own selfish needs above everything else. For many of the characters, the only saving grace was to not only divorce but to not get into a relationship in the first place-as one couple was seen doing. The only positive relationships depicted were same sex couples. How is being single the only virtue heterosexual people should aspire to?
1 person found this helpful.
See all 16 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Executive-produced by Oprah Winfrey, GREENLEAF stars Merle Dandridge as Grace Greenleaf, the estranged daughter of Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith David) and former child preacher of Calvary, a megachurch in Memphis, Tennessee. When she returns home with her daughter Sophie (Desiree Ross) after a 20-year absence to deal with the aftermath of her sister Faith's (Terri Abney) suicide, she realizes that she must confront the demons that originally made her leave, including exposing the crimes of her Uncle Mac (Gregory Alan Williams). Meanwhile, her sister Charity (Deborah Joy Winans) and her sister-in-law Kerissa (Kim Hawthorne) make it clear that she's not wanted, while her brother and junior pastor Jacob (Lamman Rucker) attempts to cope with the pressures of living under his father's shadow by seeking the company of other women. As her mother, Lady Mae (Lynn Whitfield) works hard to sweep the family's secrets under the rug, Grace turns to her Aunt Mavis (played by Winfrey), a local club owner and family pariah, for help and support.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (16):
Kids say (3):

This entertainingly emotional drama contains all the guilty pleasures one looks for in a nighttime soap opera, ranging from illicit romance to fights for power within a complex family. It also highlights aspects of the megachurch culture, including the opulent lifestyles of their leaders, the church's beneficial tax-exemption status, race-related issues, and show-like sermons.

Some of show's darker themes, including sexual molestation, teen drug use, and suicide -- all of which have long been considered taboo subjects in many church communities -- add to the show's intensity. Nonetheless, many of the plots are predictable, and some of the characters lack dimension. But there's enough turmoil here to interest serial-drama fans looking for a new story to sink their teeth into.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about family, community, and how they intersect. How is your family supported by groups you belong to?

  • Families can also talk about megachurch culture. How does it bring people together? Are there any problems with the messages some of these churches send?

TV Details

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