Parents' Guide to

HawthoRNe

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Heartfelt but mature drama from a nurse's point of view.

TV TNT Drama 2009
HawthoRNe 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 2 parent reviews

Angel3
Angel3 Adult
August 13, 2009
age 15+

Great show to watch with your tweens and especially teens

The relationship between Christina Hawthorne and her daughter Camille is something teens/tweens can handle. Perhaps they can get a bird's eyeview of what their parent's go through trying to be be there for their kids and hold down their jobs. It can also help parents see what their teens/tweens may be going through and it can help open up lines of communication and deal with issues of trust beween them. I strongly suggest watching as a family to really benefit from the show and discuss it together.

This title has:

Great role models
chilli
chilli Adult
August 12, 2009
age 17+

perfect for a family to watch

love it

This title has:

Great messages
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

HAWTHORNE stars Jada Pinkett Smith as Christina Hawthorne, a driven nurse who will stop at nothing to help her patients at Richmond Trinity Hospital. She's supported by fellow nurse/best friend Bobbie Jackson (Suleka Mathew) and Ray Stein (David Julian Hirsh), a male nurse who's having a tough time being accepted in the female-dominated profession. Also joining the team is young nurse Candy Sullivan (Christina Moore). While Hawthorne fights for her patients' rights and well being, she struggles with the loss of her husband and raising her rebellious teenage daughter Camille (Hannah Hodson). This becomes especially difficult when working alongside Dr. Tom Wakefield (Michael Vartan), the oncologist who treated her husband.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (4):

This character-driven series features all of the drama you'd expect from a medical show, but from the nurses' point of view. It highlights the struggles that nurses face while trying to help their patients and simultaneously dealing with patronizing doctors and an extremely bureaucratic medical system. The humanity behind what nurses do is driven further home by their personal stories -- particularly Hawthorne's struggle to let go of her husband.

While the show has plenty of heart, it's relatively strong content makes it a better fit for older audiences. There are lots bloody images of the sick and wounded and a fair bit of salty language. And some of the exchanges between Hawthorne and her daughter aren't always the most appropriate, either. But for teens and adults who like a good medical drama, this one will be sure to please.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how nurses and doctors are portrayed in the media. Is thier work as dramatic as it is on television? Do doctors and nurses have the same kind of camaraderie and/or face the same kind of antagonism in real life? Families can also discuss nurses' training. Why do some people choose to become nurses rather than doctors?

TV Details

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