Parents' Guide to

Knightfall

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Middling Knights Templar docudrama has sex, violence.

TV History Drama 2017
Knightfall Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 15+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 16+

Flawed, but interesting

Knightfall is almost entirely fictional, but uses actual historical figures in its story-telling, which has spurred further research on my end, leading to interesting discoveries. When dealing with entertainment, it goes without saying but still has to be said: "not historically accurate" :) This series is inspired by historical events/persons, not to be taken as a depiction of reality. As entertainment, the main concern here is the violence and frequent bloodiness accompanying it. Obviously many people will be shot with arrows or run through with swords, daggers, axes, etc. Characters are sometimes brutally beaten. Medieval torture is also depicted. Castration is threatened, possibly completed, but not onscreen. I found that the context of the violence was often more unsettling than the gore itself. For example, viewers see people burnt at the stake, which is less graphic than the swordplay, but unsettling as the cries of the victims are heard. A person is sacrificed by Luciferians (Satanists) in a pagan ritual (throat slit, then burnt at the stake). Infants are killed on and off-screen. A medieval c-section is fully depicted. A man's tongue is ripped out. The sexual content is enough to give pause, but in general shows only rear nudity, and not in action. The circumstances of the sexual encounters are often more serious/significant than their depiction. For example, a Templar sworn to celibacy meets a married woman for a rendezvous, which later carries serious consequences for them both. Heavy kissing and groping shown, the characters start to undress one another, but if there is any nudity here, it is fleeting. Later, two unmarried characters are heard in a sexual encounter, and then shown sitting up chest to chest talking. The lighting/positioning obscures any graphic nudity. Elsewhere, a woman is shown nude from the back, but scene cuts away before any further engagement occurs. Another character sworn to celibacy is shown in a bathtub with a woman, but the couple are interrupted before anything happens. In another example of context overshadowing the visual depiction, a woman is forced to watch her husband and infant son's murder, and then is taken as a prisoner/mistress by the assailant. No sexual interactions are shown, but the concept is disturbing. Further darkening this storyline is that the murderer is unable to have sex with his own wife, but after violating the widow seems to regain his libido. Other: a young woman is subjected to an examination to verify her virginity. A character sets up a woman to look like she engaged in a threesome, with tragic outcomes. A disturbed character digs up a grave (decayed corpse shown). A character leads a Herod-type vendetta that leads to the death of several babies. Period-accurate antisemitism is depicted. Grown children betray their parents. Parents lie to/manipulate their grown children. The content of Knightfall would make it a hard watch for younger viewers, and I'd recommend intentional discussion if your teens are interested or watching this series.
age 14+

Sound historical drama

Though it is very violent, that is to be expected when covering the Knights Templar. This drama shows the humanity of those put in charge of others well being.

This title has:

Great role models

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (3):

This dramatic and violent series attempts to demystify the legend of the Knights Templar, a Catholic military order founded during the Middle Ages to protect pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. It reveals the secret missions that they were committed to, including securing the Holy Grail, and highlights the historic feud between the Pope and the King of France during a very tumultuous time.

It has some big battle scenes and some mildly entertaining side plots, but Knightfall feels more Hollywood than historically accurate. Meanwhile, those who are not familiar with the history of the warriors will find it difficult to immediately understand the plotlines being presented. Some may enjoy it, but for fans of good history chronicles, it lacks profundity.

TV Details

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 suggesting a diversity 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