Parents' Guide to

Royal Pains

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Hamptons-set drama is entertaining but materialistic.

TV USA Drama 2009
Royal Pains Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 14+

Based on 6 parent reviews

aesul
aesul Adult
November 2, 2011
age 13+

Harmless

I personally disagree with the rating. Although it does occasionally have brief sexual references or drug/drinking content, it is very mild and not condoned nor participated in by the main characters. The show does not revolve around those things but simply explains that the main character is trying to get by in this materialistic atmosphere (he is a personal doctor, only rich people need those, therefore he is in the very wealthy hamptons). I have rarely noticed any cussing. The biggest issue is the medical scenes, which can be over the top graphic, however, they are saving people, not harming them. Be sensitive to your child's reaction to blood. Honestly, I consider it to be a fairly family friendly show with some adult themed subplots at time, overall it is harmless. The only draw back is that on occasion the characters can get annoying or the plots can be lacking. Other than that, great entertaining uplifting tv show.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Krbbup
Krbbup Adult
August 5, 2010
age 17+

Interesting Show, but Not for Those Under 17

My family watched the very first episode and we were very upset. There was so much language and blasphemy as well as inappropriate scenes, that we refused to watch it again. However, my dad watched the next episode and it was like someone else had written it. The show focuses on a doctor who has been fired for saving a boy, but not being able to save the mayor as well. He and his brother go to the Hamptons were they are thrown into creating their own concierge practice. However, there is still scenes of inappropriate behavior, language, gross medical situations, and blasphemy. It is the doctor version of Burn Notice (only not as good) with more bad instead of good. There is lots of humor and interesting stories, but it should be watched with caution. GOD bless

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Great messages
Great role models
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Dr. Hank Lawson (Mark Feuerstein) is a talented ER physician at the top of his game -- until his choice to put a patient above hospital politics leads to disastrous results. His life takes a new twist when, during a weekend in the Hamptons with younger brother Evan (Paulo Costanzo), he inadvertently finds himself becoming the on-call (or "concierge") doctor for the upscale community's wealthy elite. With the help of ambitious physician's assistant Divya Sharma (Reshma Shetty), Hank quickly learns to navigate his new clients' unique set of rules. It isn't always easy to work with this kind of royalty -- especially when his personal integrity and professional ethics are challenged by his patients' need for privacy, and/or they make him an accessory to something illicit. But with the support of down-to-earth local hospital administrator Dr. Jill Casey (Jill Flint), Hank tries to remain true to himself.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6 ):
Kids say (8 ):

ROYAL PAINS offers an interesting peek into the Hamptons' privileged elite by creating some amusingly colorful characters who underscore the community's exclusive, extravagant reputation. And Hank's constant negotiation between serving his wealthy patients' sometimes over-the-top needs and holding on to a higher moral ground provides some interesting social commentary about the changing medical profession (an increasing number of doctors are hiring themselves out as private physicians because they're unwilling to deal with the pressures of traditional medical bureaucracy). Of course, it also underscores that some of these changes are motivated by greed. ...

Even though the show has a strong focus on ethical issues, it still manages to be entertaining. But it's best left for more mature viewers thanks to the salty language, other strong content, and materialistic values. Younger viewers may not be able to appreciate the significance of some of the show's ethical dilemmas in the first place. But for older teens and adults, Royal Pains definitely has something to offer.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the wealthy are portrayed on television. Do you think they really attend so many lavish parties and act irresponsibly? Or are these media stereotypes? How do you think people who live in the Hamptons feel about these characterizations?

  • What messages does the show send about things like drinking and body image?

TV Details

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