Surviving Death
Common Sense says
- Netflix
- Educational
- 2021
Parents say
Kids say
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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 Surviving Death is a documentary series that explores life after death. Each episode focuses on a different way people think about and attempt to interact with the afterlife. Topics include near-death experiences and resurrection, but most episodes are about some kind of communication with the dead. The series shows seances, one-on-one experiences with mediums, and other intimate spiritual experiences. A surface-level amount of skepticism is expressed about these things, but the series is mostly interested in simply presenting its subjects' beliefs and experiences, rather than trying to prove them true or false. In that respect, the show is essentially a documentary about specific and unusual ways that people cope with trauma and grief. Most episodes have very mild language, if any, but some do feature stronger language such as "f--k," "motherf--ker," "s--t," etc.
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Important and paradigm expanding series
The stories and NDE research shared in this series could help the next generation to fear death... Continue reading
What's the story?
SURVIVING DEATH is a documentary series that explores various ideas around life after death. Each episode focuses on a different way that people try to engage with the afterlife, from paranormal communication with the dead to the belief in resurrection to surviving near-death experiences.
Is it any good?
Netflix has mastered the art of creating documentaries that feel substantial without actually providing insight, deep research, or a point-of-view. In other words, a lot of Netflix documentaries feel educational but are really more valuable as entertainment. Surviving Death is a perfect example of this. It features a lot of compelling footage of people interacting with what they believe is the afterlife, but it's likely that viewers with even a vague familiarity with things like seances or resurrection will come away with a deeper understanding. The topics are interesting, but each episode is a failed opportunity to explore them in a deeper way scientifically, culturally, or spiritually.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the afterlife. What are your beliefs about life after death? How did you form these beliefs? How do they inform your day-to-day life?
Do the people in the documentary believe in life after death? Why or why not? What shaped their beliefs? How do those beliefs affect their lives?
Why do people want to speak to the dead? How do they go about it in this documentary? How do these methods help them process grief?
TV details
- Premiere date: January 6, 2021
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Educational
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: August 16, 2021
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
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