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Reckless
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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 Reckless is a mystery/crime show featuring warring attorneys in Charleston, S.C. There is not much here to offend parents of teens. Cursing is mild and usually in jest; there is some drinking on-screen, but no one acts drunk. Love interests abound, and there is kissing, flirting, and references to sex, including sex used as a bargaining chip in a court case. Parents may object to the costumes of the women on the show, which are often short and tight, whereas men are dressed modestly. Expect some brief shots of dead bodies and discussions of off-screen violence in the context of criminal investigations.
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Amazing!
What's the story?
In the city of Charleston, S.C., rival attorneys Roy Rayder (Cam Gigandet) and Jamie Sawyer (Anna Wood) butt heads on various cases, but they also feel a RECKLESS attraction to each other. Roy is the homegrown native, gunning for the job of city attorney; Jamie is a Yankee transplant who sees through his sly charm. It's not that Roy's a bad lawyer; Jamie just thinks he's lazy and often on the wrong side of the cases each both take on. With the help of her friend and fellow attorney Vi Briggs (Kim Wayans), Jamie uncovers facts and ferrets out relevant testimony that Roy missed. If only she weren't so attracted to the guy, a fact sensed by her jealous and complicated boyfriend, Terry (Shawn Hatosy). In the city of Charleston, a lot of crimes need a sharp lawyer to figure out their angles, and Jamie is the woman to get the job done.
Is it any good?
Are Jamie and Roy the only two lawyers in town? Charleston doesn't seem like a dinky little town, but these two are constantly pitted against each other, all the better to highlight their "we shouldn't, but we want to" chemistry. That, plus the steam heat evident in the actors' painted-on sweat lends Reckless a sultriness that distinguishes it somewhat from the police-procedural pack. Because, let's face it, this is hardly an original show, with DNA culled directly from other, better shows.
But people enjoy watching outrageously gorgeous people investigating dire crimes, so those who do may well enjoy this. The show's creators play up the Charleston angle with a lot of imagery of horses trotting around picturesque squares and plates of crawfish, all ready for rich, comfortable Southern lawyers to suck on their heads while discussing the finer points of local crimes.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about why shows about lawyers are perennially popular on television. What types of characters or plots does this setting lend itself to? Why would this make for compelling television?
How old do you think the main characters Jamie and Roy are? Based on what you can gather about their professional standing, how many years have they been practicing law? Considering that most law students graduate from law school when they're 25 to 28, do these figures line up?
Do you think the makers of Reckless try to emphasize Charleston as its setting? How do they do that? What do they make mention of? What do they show? By setting the show in Charleston, what qualities are the creators hoping we'll attribute to Reckless?
TV details
- Premiere date: June 29, 2014
- Cast: Cam Gigandet, Kim Wayans, Anna Wood
- Network: CBS
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: NR
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.