Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Substantive police procedural has lots of violence, cursing.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
On Call
What's the Story?
ON CALL is a police procedural about Long Beach, California officers on the beat. After the on-duty death of one of her former trainees, Training Officer Traci Harmon (Troian Bellisario) is assigned to teach the ropes to rookie Alex Diaz (Brandon Larracuente). Soon Diaz, who grew up in the area, realizes that the realities of the job are much harder than the lessons taught at the academy, and he chafes at Harmon's efforts to get him to stick to the rules to keep from making what can be fatal mistakes. Meanwhile, Harmon tries to find a balance between protecting Diaz and meeting the expectations of her superiors, including Sergeant Lasman (Eriq La Salle) and Lieutenant Bishop (Lori Loughlin), and hopefully move up in rank. And, of course, they are risking their lives to keep people safe and chase down criminals, including the man who murdered their fellow officer. It's a complicated job, but Harmon and Diaz need to learn from each other if they're going to do it successfully.
Is It Any Good?
The well-written police procedural offers a dramatic look at how law enforcement negotiates various challenges from the point of view of two police officers. Officer Harmon and Officer Diaz's professional relationship often parallels that of a teacher and student, which creates the space necessary for mistakes to be made and lessons to be learned in On Call. However, while Diaz is growing into his position, the more seasoned Harmon is trying to survive department politics while coping with what she believes is the indifference of the community they serve and protect. The unevenness between the duo creates the foundation from which social, ethical, and political dilemmas are explored, which gives the series some interesting substance. But this doesn't overshadow the high-energy police chases and entertainingly suspense-filled encounters; body-cam footage invites viewers to experience it from their perspective.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what it's like to be a police officer. Given how dangerous it can be, why do people choose careers in law enforcement?
Does On Call rely on racial and ethnic stereotypes when portraying alleged criminals? Does it challenge them?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 9, 2025
- Cast : Troian Bellisario , Brandon Larracuente , Eriq La Salle , Lori Loughlin
- Network : Prime Video
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Last updated : January 27, 2025
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
Suggest an 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