Parents' Guide to

The Following

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Gory crime drama swimming in blood, dead bodies, suspense.

TV Fox Drama 2013
The Following 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 9 parent reviews

kathybaker12
kathybaker12 Adult
February 19, 2015
age 5+

Other Reviews are Ludicrous

I agree with the 16 label for season 1. It definitely deserves it. Season 2, however, is very non-violent compared to the first. I never let my kids watch during season 1, but now I let all of them watch (they are 10, 11, and 13). They enjoy it and understand how the violence was toned down due to censorship, so it is a much more mild show than it was a couple of years ago (when I assume the common sense review was written)
Judith365
Judith365 Adult
February 19, 2015
age 6+

Season 2 is a different story

I watched season 1 and was very shocked in seeing gratuitous violence. I didn't let any of my kids watch. However, there is very little violence in season 2 because of complaints of excessive violence in season 1. Gone are the gory stabbings, replaced by shooting, and less violent means of injury. I now let my kids watch and we all can enjoy. Season 1 is at least 16 and up, but season 2 is definitely ok for most kids.
See all 9 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Nine years after former FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) put cunning serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) behind bars, Carroll mounts an unlikely escape and pulls Hardy back into the game -- and out of retirement -- to secure his capture. The killer is swiftly returned to death row. But it doesn't take long for Hardy to uncover a dizzying network of "followers" who are prepared to do Carroll's bidding on the outside.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (9):
Kids say (9):

If a script can lure longtime movie actor Kevin Bacon to series television, logic follows that it must be good. And while this darkly violent crime drama -- a thematic blend of creator Kevin Williamson's Scream franchise and The Silence of the Lambs -- at times threatens to derail itself with corny dialogue and overblown characters, it ultimately proves watchable and compelling.

It's also genuinely unnerving, thanks to well-placed "gotcha" moments that literally make you jump, which is precisely why The Following will be way too intense for most kids. On the plus side, older teens who watch will be exposed to the work of Edgar Allan Poe, whose macabre writings figure prominently in the plot and may even spur them on to further reading.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how The Following's level of violence compares to other crime dramas on television. Is it too violent for TV? Who decides how much is too much?

  • Writer Edgar Allan Poe is central to the plot of The Following. What do you know about Poe and his work? How have Poe's writings influenced other types of media, whether it be books, movies, or music?

  • Does The Following take a position when it comes to good vs. evil? Is the outlook generally positive or negative?

TV Details

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