Parents' Guide to

Motive

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Unconventional format adds freshness to gritty crime drama.

TV ABC Drama 2013
Motive Poster Image

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

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What's the Story?

"Whodunit" isn't important in this unconventional crime drama that reveals the killer and the victim at the start of each episode before following homicide detective Angie Flynn (Kristin Lehman) -- a street-smart single mom -- and her partner, Det. Oscar Vega (Louis Ferreira), through the process of cracking the case. But the killer's MOTIVE is ultimately revealed through vivid flashbacks that shed light on the crime.

Is It Any Good?

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

The last thing the world needs is another crime drama. But the surprisingly effective Motive at least attempts to change things up by throwing out the whodunit plots that are done to death on other police procedurals. Forget focusing on who committed the crime; on Motive, you'll find that out in the first few minutes, leaving the rest of the time to reveal how -- and, more importantly, why -- that person would commit murder.

Of course, Motive's format isn't a completely original concept (the long-running TV mystery Columbo did for decades), but it definitely feels fresh among a crowded schedule of genre competitors. It's also a Candian import, which brings fresh faces with Lehman (who looks an awful lot like Uma Thurman) and Ferreira, plus a far more familar one to American audiences with Lauren Holly, who plays the team's lead medical examiner.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Motive's format and how it compares to other popular crime dramas and police procedurals. Does knowing who the killer is at the very beginning make the show more or less interesting than other crime dramas that reveal the killer's identity at the end? How does the format shift the focus from "who" to "why"?

  • How does Angie stack up as a role model, both on the job (where she works in a traditionally male-dominated profession) and at home (where she's a single mother)? Can someone still be a good role model even if they have flaws?

  • What do you think of Angie's parenting style? Do kids respond better to parents who seem more like friends than moms and dads? What are the pros and cons to Angie's more casual approach?

TV Details

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