Peacemaker
Parents say
Based on 10 reviews
Kids say
Based on 25 reviews
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Peacemaker
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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 Peacemaker is an action comedy series centered on the DC Comics/Suicide Squad character Peacemaker (John Cena). After Peacemaker escapes prison and the hospital, he's back on the streets and working as a vigilante who's ordered to kill "butterflies" -- i.e. dangerous entities with powers. The series' comedy is extremely raunchy: It's rife with sex jokes, sex acts, and nudity. Profanity is also frequent, with many, many uses of "f--k" per episode, as well as "s--t," "c--t," "d--k," "f-g," and more. Violence is also frequent and intense. Guns are used, and characters fight to the death; bloody bodies explode across parking lots, a victim's disembodied face gets picked up by a police officer, and more.
Community Reviews
WATCH THIS SHOW!
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Come on guys it's not bad at all
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What's the Story?
As viewers of James Gunn's 2021 film The Suicide Squad learned, Peacemaker (John Cena, Blockers) is a supervillain who's so devoted to peace he'll do anything to achieve it, including killing people. After the events of the movie, and spending months in the hospital recovering, Peacemaker gets a chance to stay out of prison from Mr. Murn (Chukwudi Iwuji) by becoming a mercenary for Project Butterfly, a black ops squad that has another newcomer, Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks, Orange Is the New Black). Other members of the team tasked with keeping Peacemaker under control include Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) and John Economos (Steve Agee).
Is It Any Good?
This unbridled supervillain action comedy is a raunchy, rude, and rollicking addition to the growing DC Universe. Like a hard-R version of Guardians of the Galaxy, the series has all the touches of a James Gunn vehicle, down to the super-specific rock soundtrack (this time around it's 80s hair metal). Cena's comic chops are on full display here, and he holds his own as a lead actor who clearly relishes playing this utterly unhinged character. He also manages to add some pathos to the performance, especially in his complicated relationship with his father, who makes his hero gear but calls his son a "simp" and mocks him at every opportunity.
Brooks also shines as a foil to Cena and the show's voice of reason, and the black ops ensemble is a crack team that play off each other beautifully. A minor concern: Peacemaker's "thing" is being inappropriate in every possible way, which may wear thin after a while. As Harcourt says, "Just because you're handsome doesn't mean you're not a piece of s–t murderer." For now, it's still entertaining. Is Peacemaker silly? Yes. Over-the-top? You bet. But it's a welcome dose of rambunctious, filthy fun for the sometimes dour DC Universe.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about superheroes and supervillains. What do you think about villains given the sympathetic treatment?
Do you think this show would be successful with less sex or violence? Why or why not?
How does this show convey the idea that teamwork is important? Does it emphasize any other positive character strengths? Do characters have to be wholly heroic to model positive traits?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 13, 2022
- Cast: John Cena, Danielle Brooks
- Network: HBO Max
- Genre: Action
- Topics: Superheroes
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: October 23, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love action TV
Themes & Topics
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