Parents' Guide to

Reef Break

By Martin Brown, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Generic crime show combines crime and summery surf vibes.

TV ABC Action 2019
Reef Break Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Reef Break Series: Cat Chambers (Poppy Montgomery) is definitely a surfer
  • Reef Break Series: Cat Chambers (Poppy Montgomery) is securing the bag
  • Reef Break Series: Cat Chambers (Poppy Montgomery) is outwitting everyone!

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 1 parent review

Mitzidoman
Mitzidoman Adult
October 8, 2019
age 15+

Great

I think it's a really good show it's funny romantic just really good
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In REEF BRAK, Cat Chambers (Poppy Montgomery) is a reformed thief and former drug mule who returns to her former home on Reef Island and reconnects with various people from her past life, including her ex-husband, a former undercover fed who turned her into an informant. Chambers quickly gets hired by the local government to aid the police in solving crimes (hey like her outsider perspective), which sometimes puts her in conflict with the hotshot cop with whom she happens to be having a fling.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

Though it gestures at being a modern procedural, this is actually a throwback to a time when summer programming was cheap and disposable and didn't have to make sense. Many aspects of Reef Break are arbitrary and contrived, beginning with the main character, Cat Chambers, who seems to have a superhuman sense of perception that is somehow unrelated to her career as a criminal. Around ninety percent of the dialogue is exposition, and about sixty percent of that is Chambers or other characters stating or restating who they are. Chambers literally says "I'm a surfer" about once every ten minutes, but then she hardly ever gets on the water. If you like island scenery, you may be able to enjoy this pretty bland show.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about surfing. What does it take to be a surfer? What do people like about it? What's the culture around surfing like? Is it different from other sports?

  • For a seemingly remote island, there seems to be a lot of crime. How are there so many different criminal enterprises and types of law enforcement on the island? Do you think this is realistic?

  • What are the ways in which Cat Chambers plays both sides -- law and crime? How does she use the rules or breaking the rules to her advantage in Reef Break? What are her ethics? What values are important to her?

TV Details

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 suggesting a diversity update.

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