Parents' Guide to

Revenge

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Soapy drama mixes high society and adultery with betrayal.

TV ABC Drama 2011
Revenge Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 4 parent reviews

cieli
cieli Adult
November 10, 2014
age 18+

It's a good TV show but it's really not for kids!!

It's a good TV show but it's really not for kids!! There's no great rile models and there's to many things that kids shouldn't think about or know about.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much consumerism
4betterrollmodels
4betterrollmodels Parent of 4, 6, 6, 8 and 9-year-old
December 19, 2012
age 18+

Not recommended for children of any age.

Although entertaining for adults with a normal mentality, this show is so negative in respect to moral values that should be present in today's society, I would never recommend it for any child or adolescent. To many shows like this with negative roll models.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Years after losing her father -– and everything she once held dear -– Emily Thorne (Emily VanKamp) moves into a posh Southampton beach house with plans to wage REVENGE on those responsible for her pain. But nobody seems to remember that she once lived there before, nor suspect that her objectives are anything but innocent. High on her hit list is wealthy socialite Victoria Grayson (Madeline Stowe), who conveniently lives just next door.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (14):

In a way, Revenge feels like it's playing on the wrong network, having more in common in terms of feel and superficial characters with teen-oriented primetime soaps like the CW's Gossip Girl. And maybe that's why, on ABC, it feels like a particularly lightweight contender for serious ratings. Nevertheless, the central story gets its inspiration from a serious work of fiction, Alexandre Dumas' classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo.

Of course, those who've read the book will rightly recognize that Emily Thorne is no Monte Cristo -- but Revenge's glammy tone and unapologetic soapiness also make it clear that she isn't really meant to be. So if you're willing to accept the series for what it is, Revenge may yield sufficiently guilty rewards.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the show's central theme of forgiveness vs. revenge. What are the negative consequences of choosing revenge, as the show's main character has done? Would it be possible for her to move on without causing harm or pain to others who've wronged her in the past?

  • Have you read Alexandre Dumas' classic novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, upon which this show is loosely based (or seen the 2002 film adaptation)? What are the similarities and differences between the two works? How have this show's producers modernized the story?

  • Who's the target audience for this type of drama -- teens or adults? How can you tell? Does it resemble any other TV dramas?

TV Details

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