Hand of God

TV review by Kari Croop, Common Sense Media
Hand of God Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 18+

Bleak drama explores big themes via sex, language, violence.

Amazon Prime Video Drama 2014
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Parents say

age 18+

Based on 4 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Hand of God is a darkly mature drama exploring weighty questions of religion, sex, money, power, and politics. The central plot stems from a traumatic rape that spawns a suicide, and there are violent beatings and killings with significant blood. Sex acts are simulated, but some sensitive parts (breasts, nipples, and buttocks) are shown. You'll also hear unbleeped swearing ("f--k," "p---y") and see characters drink socially and smoke pot.

Community Reviews

Cynthialea77
Cynthialea77 Adult
May 3, 2021
age 18+

Sexual Content

Doesn’t say sexual content when giving information of rating but it definitely does. First season showed woman’s breast and butt and them having sex in a chair! Wish the media was honest with the content prior to watching!

This title has:

Too much sex
FrancoS
FrancoS Adult
June 8, 2019
age 18+

Provocative -

I watched both seasons, some parts are hard to get through, issues dealt with and how. Although if you try to go too deep and “read” conspiracy like story threads, don’t . Take it as it goes, it flows pretty well with some good twists plus has you guessing who is betraying and who had honor. IMHO- some ppl will object to this n’that subject matter, but perhaps this could be how justice is served in instances and beautiful America gets dealt with . If you’re someone who has to pick apart a show, don’t watch. The acting, settings, clothes, etc nice to watch. Good v evil, slightly not so good v not so bad, real life sitche’s in moneyland. It was entertaining with thought provoking premises.

This title has:

Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In the wake of a horrific crime that left his son on life support, a judge with questionable morals (Ron Perlman) goes on a crusade for justice that he believes to be guided by the HAND OF GOD. But is a divine voice really speaking to him, or is he merely seeking revenge?

Is It Any Good?

Hand of God has all the makings of a grand drama, replete with weighty questions, complex characters, and thought-provoking symbolism. Yet at times, the series' taste for darkness is so sobering that getting through an episode feels more like punishment than entertainment. This is a decidedly mature pick for adults -- and, even then, only adults who can stomach the darkness, for there's very little light to be found.

As for Perlman (best known for playing edgy antiheroes in films such as Hellboy and on TV shows such as Beauty and the Beast and Sons of Anarchy), his casting as the series' unlikely protagonist is interesting but ultimately feels like a misfire thanks to a performance that's big on brooding but painfully lacking in humanity. His character needs to be more relatable, and if he were, the series would be way more watchable.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Hand of God's position when it comes to religion, politics, and revenge. Is the overall message positive, negative, or somewhere in between?

  • How does Hand of God relate to the biblical story of King Solomon, who's referenced several times in the series? How does Judge Harris compare to Solomon, and how are they different?

  • Does the fact that Hand of God streams exclusively on Amazon allow it to do things other series can't? How would it play on network television?

TV Details

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