Rogue Heroes
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Rogue Heroes
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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 Rogue Heroes is a British miniseries about the founding of the British Special Air Service during World War II. There's lots of gory violence, including a bloody death by suicide, strong sexual content (including simulated sexual activity) and cursing. Cigarette and pipe smoking is constant, and drinking and drunken behavior is frequent.
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What's the Story?
Based on the book written by Ben Macintyre, ROGUE HEROES is a British miniseries about the beginnings of the country's Special Air Service. It's 1941, and British military efforts to keep North Africa from falling to the Nazis in the Western Desert Campaign is going badly. Frustrated with the way things are going, the insubordinate Captain David Stirling (Connor Swindells) uses his family connections to head up a military division that until then were the machinations of Lieutenant Colonel Wrangel Clarke (Dominic West) as a clandestine spy unit. Named the Special Air Service (SAS), Stirling recruits the hard drinking rebel Paddy Mayne (Jack O'Connell) and Army Officer John "Jock" Lewes (Alfie Allen) to help him head up the shadow organization comprised of wild soldiers willing to go behind enemy lines and destroy Nazi planes.
Is It Any Good?
This well-written and well-paced series tells a story that stays true to historical facts with a contemporary edge. Most of the story world focuses on the way SAS founder Captain Stirling and his group go about formulating and executing clandestine missions intended to help win the war. But thanks to the robust characters, most of whom are based on real people, some interesting secondary stories are also told.
Granted, many of the military operations seem a bit improbable, but they help highlight the immense risks these early SAS members were willing to take, the motivation being as much war-induced madness as it was patriotism. Nonetheless, Rogue Heroes stays away from exploring the evils of war, and instead offers an entertaining interpretation of the beginnings of one of the British Army's most important special forces units.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the military operations in North Africa during World War II. Why was it important for the British and other Allies to keep this area from falling to the Nazis? What other films and shows did these war efforts inspire over the years?
How much of Rogue Heroes is based on fact? Was the real Captain Stirling and his fellow SAS leaders anything like the way they are portrayed in the series?
TV Details
- Premiere date: November 13, 2022
- Cast: Connor Swindells, Jack O’Connell), Alfie Allen
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Adventures, History
- Character Strengths: Courage, Perseverance, Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: January 18, 2023
Our Editors Recommend
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Peaky Blinders
Brutal violence, sex, and drugs in vintage gang drama.
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Inglourious Basterds
Tarantino's World War II epic is both bloody and talky.
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The Monuments Men
Fact-based adventure with a few bloody battle scenes.
For kids who love history
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