Low Winter Sun
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Low Winter Sun is set in a dark and crumbling Detroit, where some cops are as dirty as the criminals they're chasing. (In fact, the two main characters are police officers who are trying to cover up the fact that they've killed one of their own.) Violence is bloody and explicit (from breaking bones to a bullet through the head), and there's unbleeped language (from "s--t" to "prick"). Drug dealers and drug users are major characters, too, and part of the story involves a character's relationship with his girlfriend.
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User Reviews
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Probably 12+
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What's the story?
Soon after Detroit detectives Frank Agnew (Mark Strong) and Joe Geddes (Lennie James) off corrupt cop Brendan McCann (Michael McGrady), they're faced with a by-the-book internal affairs investigator (David Costabile) -- and the realization that they're both in for more than they bargained for. Meanwhile, a local crime lord (James Ransone) and his wife (Sprague Grayden) prepare to expand their criminal empire against the backdrop of a LOW WINTER SUN.
Is it any good?
Based on a two-part British miniseries of the same name, Low Winter Sun drags viewers into Detroit's crumbling inner city -- complete with crime lords, desperate drug users, and feral dogs -- to witness one police officer's descent into murder and corruption. And it feels like a very long, dark hour indeed. Even the art direction and cinematography is dingy and drab, suggesting a grim world cloaked secrets and lies.
The ensemble is well-cast and believable, but most impressive is London-born leading man Strong, who's reprising the role he played in the original series, this time swapping his character's Scottish accent for an American one. Paired with the unpredictable James -- who's also a Brit -- he plays the series' dark themes for all they're worth, and makes wading through the muck feel weirdly rewarding.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how Low Winter Sun portrays life in Detroit's inner city and whether the show's take on it is accurate. Are the story and characters particular to Detroit, or could they work in another urban setting? How do the crumbling city streets and the desperate people who walk them help enforce the show's major themes?
Does it surprise you that cops can be the "bad guys"? How do Frank and Joe measure up as role models -- and do they have any redeeming qualities?
Why are antiheroes in pop culture so appealing, from Mad Men's Don Draper to Breaking Bad's Walter White? What is it about these characters that keeps us watching?
TV details
- Premiere date: August 11, 2013
- Cast: Athena Karkanis, Lennie James, Mark Strong
- Network: AMC
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-14
For kids who love drama
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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.