Parents' Guide to

Ripper Street

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Victorian cop drama is intense, with violence and nudity.

TV BBC America Drama 2013
Ripper Street Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 17+

Based on 2 parent reviews

ThomasS91
ThomasS91 Adult
February 23, 2020
age 18+

Awesome show...for adults!!!

One of my all time favorite shows. If you love period drama, you will have a blast. Extremely well written, great acting and featuring real historical events mixed with fictional plots in a most clever way. The character arches are amazing and the dialogues beautifully written. One of the very few shows where the quality never dropped, even in later seasons. That said, the show is extremely violent, there is a lot of blood and gore - seriously it's not for the faint hearted. There is moderate nudity - less than in other popular shows, but enough to keep away from younger children. One of the main characters lives in a brothel, which is run by another major character. There are frequent scenes of heavy drinking, smoking and drug use (even Heroin). There is also some cussing and swearing. The events in the show are in some ways connected to the real Ripper murders. Although those murders are not the main plot there are many scenes of people being violently killed and cut open for examination, blood squirting from open wounds, severed necks, throats being eaten by a cannibal,...so yes, better not show this to younger kids ;)

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
caitlin89
caitlin89 Adult
April 19, 2013
age 15+

Awesome show, but DEFINITELY not for children!

This is a good show, I discovered it after trying to find something to get interested in after I watched all of the episodes of BBC's Sherlock. If you like the story of Jack the Ripper, like history (especially British history), then this is something that you will most likely enjoy! I think the reviewer underestimated the ability of teens to understand the accents. Most times they aren't too thick, how will you ever learn to understand people if you don't try! Some of the old school expressions might stump some a little bit, but if a teen or adult is particularly interested in this area of history like I am, it isn't too hard to get the meaning. Wouldn't recommend it to anything less than 14 or 15 years old. It does have quite a bit of above the waist nudity, dead bodies, and implications of sex. It all just depends on how mature your teenager is. Instead of stopping them from watching it (Unless they are under 13 or 14) watch it with them and talk about it. Because even if you don't let them, if they want to watch something bad enough, they will. It's better if you show an interest and are willing to be open. Anyways, Definitely looking forward to the next season!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

RIPPER STREET, a BBC mini-series set a few months after the famous -- and never solved -- Jack the Ripper murders, stars Matthew Macfadyen as Inspector Edmund Reid, the detective in charge of a new series of murders which police fear may be linked to the Ripper murders. Aiding Reid in his task is Captain Homer Jackson (Adam Rothenberg), a surgeon and former Pinkerton detective who has a dark secret in his past, and brothel madam Long Susan (MyAnna Buring). Meanwhile, crusading and somewhat unethical reporter Fred Best (David Dawson) is just waiting for Reid to trip up.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (1):

How on earth did the BBC manage to make a slice of Ireland look so much like dirty, dusty old London? The setting and costumes are absolutely first-rate, adding an atmospheric quality that ratchets up the appeal of Ripper Street. Viewers will also enjoy peeks at Victorian history such as a conversation about putting in an underground, which Inspector Reid says would keep Londoners from having to "live like rats." Ah, Inspector Reid, if you only knew! If you only knew!

Adults and Anglophiles who like crime drama will probably love seamy Ripper Street. But teens will no doubt be mystified, first by the heavy British accents, second by old-school expressions like "do jug" (go to prison) and "she's been recently serviced" (she has had sex). Thus even though Ripper Street has much to teach them about history and the ways of Victorian London, they probably won't be able to make out exactly what's going on, not to mention be able to tolerate the mixture of sex and violence throughout the story.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what the Victorian setting adds to a traditional police show. How is Ripper Street different from other cop shows you've seen? How is it alike? What is the purpose, do you suppose, of using a historical setting for a show about crime?

  • Teens: What are your parents more disturbed by: violence or sex? Why do you think that is? What's your opinion on how violence and sex should be handled on TV and in movies?

  • The Jack the Ripper murders are some of the most famous in history. Why are these murders so notorious? What about them makes them interesting enough to merit dramatic treatment over a century after they occurred?

TV Details

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