Parents' Guide to

Jekyll

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Chilling Brit take on classic is for adults only.

TV BBC America Drama 2007
Jekyll Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

age 16+

A Mostly Brilliant Reimagining for Young Adults and Up Only

Jekyll, starring James Nesbit and written by Steven Moffat, is a chilling, atmospheric, smart and surprisingly funny (in a very dark humor style of way) miniseries, that only really falters in the sixth and final episode; while the twists in it do ultimately make perfect sense and the final-twist is creative (without breaking its own rules), but the final part did, from a story perspective, leave me unsatisfied somewhat. But I cannot deny that the series up to that point, in particular Parts 2 & 3, were genuinely excellent. I could mark this as having too much violence or too much alcohol, as there are lots of those, but since this intended only for mature viewers, and in terms of the story they are exactly the right amount. HOWEVER, if you were planning on showing this to anyone 15 or under, I would advise you keep things such as intensely mature themes, some brutal moments of violence, and some strong sexuality (albeit no actual nudity) in mind, as they are present. The good thing for anyone below the recommended age watching this is that the story, while it certainly glorifies things like sex, violence and alcoholism, it also acknowledges that these are very much self-destructive, and that operating purely via the Id ultimately ends in a very undesirable way. The performances, editing and cinematography are all top-tier for 200X television, the dialogue is fast and sharp, and the themes are very explicit while not being told in an overly direct (let alone preachy) way. For adults: Very strongly recommended.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

With so many works already spawned from this one short novella, one would expect the creative well would be bone-dry by now, leaving little content from which to draw enough new material worth watching. But in the case of JEKYLL, a masterful team of writers, producers, and actors prove that a little ingenuity can go a long way. Jekyll blends a classic tale with equal amounts of psychological and conspiracy thriller; the final product is a captivating series that will keep you guessing with its multiple character and plot twists. Nesbitt is superb in the polar-opposite roles of family man Jackman and malicious, narcissistic Hyde, and suspense is the name of the game here, as surprises really do lurk around every corner.

That said, the show's violent and emotionally disturbing nature means that it's not for tweens, and it's worth a good look before allowing even teens to tune in. The same suspense that promises to entertain you may frighten them, and Nesbitt's mastery of Hyde's character and superb delivery give the show little of the hokiness that makes lesser-quality thrillers palatable for sensitive viewers.

TV Details

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