Parents' Guide to

Proof

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Life-after-death series mixes science and the paranormal.

TV TNT Drama 2015
Proof 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?

PROOF stars Jennifer Beals as Dr. Caroline Tyler, a difficult and dispassionate surgeon who is asked to find scientific proof of what actually happens when people die. In hopes of securing a sizable donation to their Seattle-based hospital, Dr. Oliver Stanton (Joe Morton) pressures her to meet with tech billionaire Ivan Turing (Matthew Modine). But to her surprise, Turing, who has terminal cancer, asks her to dedicate time to research life after death. As she reluctantly does so, she finds herself working through her own feelings about the death of her son and her own near-death experience while helping tsunami victims in Japan. Adding to the pressure is her troubled relationship with her estranged husband (David Sutcliffe) and daughter Sophie (Annie Thurman) and the meddlesome celebrity psychic Peter Van Owen (Callum Blue). With the help of intern Zed (Edi Ethegi), Turing's assistant, and science researcher Janel (Caroline Kaplan), Tyler begins to uncover some truths as she researches what lies beyond. But she soon learns that though knowing what happens after death may bring comfort and peace to some, there is resistance -- maybe even from the other side.

Is It Any Good?

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

Executive-produced by The Closer's Kyra Sedgwick, Proof is an appealing show that raise questions about the way people understand dying, post-death experiences, and the presence of the deceased from the beyond. It also weaves in lots of interpersonal and relationship tension, which helps keep things interesting.

Fans of the paranormal will appreciate the show's themes, many of which support the idea that there's life beyond the grave. But it also offers enough scientific explanation and logical resolutions through medical intervention to satisfy any doubters who tune in. Regardless of what your own thoughts are on what happens after we die, the show offers enough entertainment to keep both believers and skeptics happy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the different theories and belief systems that offer varied explanations about what happens after we die. Can science can actually prove if these explanations are right? Why is it so difficult to do so?

  • Over the years, films and TV shows have offered many representations of paranormal activities, which range from silly to frightening. Does this show offer something different?

TV Details

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