Parents' Guide to

Killer Women

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Girl-with-a-gun drama goes for obvious gimmicks.

TV ABC Drama 2014
Killer Women Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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What's the Story?

For recently divorced Texas Ranger Molly Parker (Tricia Helfer), being a woman in a male-dominated profession comes with its own set of challenges -- and plenty of colleagues just waiting to see her fail. But Molly's armed with an innate sense of what motivates the KILLER WOMEN she tracks, and she isn't afraid to break the rules when it comes to getting things done.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

In its promotional materials, ABC actually describes Killer Women's female lead as "ballsy" and "badass." Although those might be accurate adjectives, they're also woefully representative of the show's commitment to a complete lack of nuance. From the longhorn cattle and 10-gallon hats that seem to scream out, "You're in Texas!" to a bizarrely metaphorical choice to have Molly moonlight as a trumpet player, this "gal-can-do-it-all" drama does everything but make us want to keep watching.

Killer Women was adapted for American television by Modern Family's Sofia Vergara, who, to be fair, is hardly known for her subtlety. Yet we still hoped for more from an actress so closely associated with a critically acclaimed comedy, not to mention the potentially compelling premise of Killer Women's source material, an Argentine trilogy about homicides committed by women. Sad to say, this one's dead in the water.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about sexism as it relates to women in the workplace. Is sexism, particularly in the south, really as bad as Killer Women makes it seem? Is there a benefit to playing up male-female tensions for the sake of TV?

  • How does Killer Women compare to other shows about strong women working in traditionally male fields, such as The Killing and The Bridge? How does Molly stack up as a role model?

  • How does Killer Women compare to Mujeres Asesinas, the Spanish-language crime drama that inspired it? What changes were made to the story and characters to appeal to American audiences?

TV Details

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