Parents' Guide to

Rookie Blue

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Canadian police drama lacks grit of U.S. cop shows.

TV ABC Drama 2010
Rookie Blue 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 13+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Aqua Schippers
Aqua Schippers Adult
November 7, 2021
age 12+

It awesome!

I think this show is great. It does have moments that are bloody so if you aren't good around blood, I don't think you will want to see this show. It does have alcohol and drugs, among other things.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
danharvell
danharvell Parent
May 30, 2013
age 14+

Series Had Promise, Ultimately Disappoints

When this series started, I was really excited about it. The premise of the show seemed very strong with strong characters to back it. Season two started the slide from a solid police drama to what eventually became the mindless bore-fest that it has become. Predictable to the very end, the plot line seems to have shifted away from the police drama aspect of the show to the old standby plot of which officer is sleeping with the other? After three seasons and two episodes into the fourth, I am done with the show. It went from a solid, well-produced program to mindless, tedious, and ultimately unbelievable. After all, if a real officer screwed up as many times (and as severely) as the lead characters in "Rookie Blue", surely they would have been discharged from their duties, by now.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

ROOKIE BLUE follows the lives of police officers beginning their careers with Toronto's 15th Division. In the first season, the novice cops include Officer Andy McNally (Missy Peregrym), Officer Gail Peck (Charlotte Sullivan), Officer Dov Epstein (Gregory Smith), Traci Nash (Enuka Okuma), and Chris Diaz (Travis Milne), who eventually graduate from "rookie" status and become more experienced partners. Throughout it all, the officers must also find a way to negotiate their personal lives and relationships while dealing with the pressure of being on the force.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (5 ):

On one hand, this Canadian series -- which airs simultaneously on Canadian and American television -- feels hip and trendy, thanks to the modelesque looks of its attractive, young crew. On the other, it feels a little like a throwback, thanks to plotlines and gee-golly antics that are noticeably tamer than other series tackling the same subject matter.

While Rookie Blue definitely has some worthy moments and delivers well-paced, suspenseful action plots, it also lacks the grittiness that most popular American crime dramas are known for, which could strike some viewers as a little unconvincing. Still, others looking for a milder option to edgier cop shows might find this police drama an entertaining alternative.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it's like to be a police officer. What kind of challenges do rookies face when they start out? How long is a person considered a "rookie" officer?

  • How does the media contribute to the way people view police officers in real life? What do you think some of the differences are between the ways in which movies and TV shows depict cops and the work they do, and what the life of a police officer is really like?

  • Do you think reality shows that feature police officers offer a more realistic view of what police officers do on a daily basis? Why or why not? How do cop dramas and cop-centered reality shows compare?

TV Details

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