The Fades
Common Sense says
- BBC America
- Drama
- 2011
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 this UK sci-fi horror series features intense moments of supernatural imagery, including scenes of zombies eating human flesh. There's a recurring motif of "falling ashes" meant to represent the impending apocalypse. Teen characters smoke, swear ("f--k" is bleeped), and discuss sex and sexuality frequently. Adult characters occasionally engage in sex with some glimpses of underwear.
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What's the story?
As THE FADES opens, Paul (Iain De Caestecker) is a rather unremarkable British teenager with a love of pop culture and a movie-obsessed best friend (Daniel Kaluuya). His life becomes rather more remarkable after a chance encounter in an abandoned mall with Fades, strange otherworldly beings who represent the souls of those who have died but not yet gone on to their eternal reward. They are bent on re-entering the living world and must be stopped. Paul's apocalyptic visions reveal him as the key to a war being waged that will determine the fate of humanity itself.
Is it any good?
The Fades takes the concept of a simple ghost story and spins it into near-convulsions, stirring in a heavy dose of end-of-the-world terror and some classic smart-aleck teenage comedy. There's something very Buffy the Vampire Slayer about the show's approach to horror and episodic television. It's got the same irreverent attitude that Buffy had, but when the rubber hits the road, the threats are very real and the tension is palpable.
Although its demons-vs-angels storyline doesn't deserve many points for originality, there's an honesty to the characters on The Fades that helps the show remain grounded even when its fantastical plots are hurtling headlong toward the end of the world.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the show's incorporation of sexuality into the show. Is this how real teens talk about sex?
What is the appeal of the apocalypse storyline? And why are teens so often tasked with saving the world? What other shows does this one remind you of?
TV details
- Premiere date: September 21, 2011
- Cast: Iain de Caestecker, Johnny Harris, Tom Ellis
- Network: BBC America
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy
- TV rating: TV-14
- Available on: DVD
- Last updated: March 14, 2020
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