Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Medical horror is too scary for tweens, sensitive teens.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Helix
What's the Story?
In the intense sci-fi series HELIX, something's wrong at the mysterious Arctic Biosystems lab: A virus has gone rogue, moving swiftly from animal to human and then causing people to attack each other. Alan Farragut (Billy Campbell), a heroic researcher with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flies in with a troop of scientists with the goal of checking the spread. But it may already be too late: Alan's estranged brother, Peter (Neil Napier), is Patient Zero, infected and seeking victims among his Arctic Biosystems lab colleagues, all of whom are under the guidance of the enigmatic Dr. Hiroshi Hatake (Hiroyuki Sanada), who's not exactly hoping to stamp the virus out. Or is he? Matters are complicated by Farragut's team's twisty backstories: Along for the ride is Farragut's ex-wife, Julia (Kyra Zagorsky), whose affair with Peter was the reason for the brothers' falling-out, and Farragut's sultry, yearning assistant, Dr. Sarah Jordan (Jordan Hayes). The virus is spreading, and it's anyone's guess who will survive.
Is It Any Good?
Helix has the scary-medical thing down pat: There's a lot of gleaming stainless-steel surfaces, giant needles, and sickly green lighting, not to mention bulging black veins, off-kilter madmen in lab coats, and ominous animal cages with something shadowy lurking in them. Which is to say, genre fans will catch a breath of many a similarly themed "infection" movie in Helix's goings-on. Say, the monster-guy is crawling through air ducts, just like in Aliens! Say, didn't it remind you of 28 Days Later when that monkey attacked the doctor's face?
That's not to say that Helix isn't good or scary. It just carries with it the DNA of other horror outings. But it also has similarities to another late, great, and much-beloved sci-fi/horror show, Lost, which scored by putting relatable, likable characters into weird circumstances. Since Helix is executive-produced by a former Lost writer, the similarities are not exactly unexpected, but this may be enough to make tuning in worth it for fans.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the real Centers for Disease Control and the work it does. How does the CDC keep people safe? Which epidemics, such as bird flu, has it identified in the past, and how has it helped quell epidemics?
Compare the atmosphere of Helix to other shows worked on by the same creative team, such as Battlestar Galactica and Lost. How are these shows alike? How are they different?
Horror/sci-fi movies and shows about some type of zombie-like infection are common: Witness movies such as 28 Days Later and World War Z or TV shows such as The Walking Dead. Is Helix a show about zombies? Why, or why not?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 10, 2014
- Cast : Billy Campbell , Hiroyuki Sanada , Jeri Ryan
- Network : Syfy
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 21, 2019
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
Suggest an Update
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