Parents' Guide to

The Forgotten

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Dark-toned crime drama has an inspiring purpose.

TV ABC Drama 2009
The Forgotten Poster Image

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What's the Story?

THE FORGOTTEN stars Christian Slater as Alex Donovan, a former police officer who heads up a Midwestern branch of a civilian network dedicated to investigating the murders of unidentified victims. His group of amateur sleuths includes science teacher Lindsey Drake (Heather Stephens), headstrong Candace Butler (Michelle Borth), phone company employee Walter Bailey (Bob Stephenson), and med student-turned-sculptor Tyler Davies (Anthony Carrigan), who's forced to join the team by court ourder. Donovan's former colleague, Officer Grace Russell (Rochelle Aytes), acts as the group's link to the Chicago police department. Together they're committed to helping uncover the stories of the unchampioned deceased.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

The Forgotten sets itself apart from other crime dramas because it's committed to humanizing victims rather than simply solving the mysteries of their death. To do so, it gives the victims a voice in the storytelling process and allows them to tell their stories without judgment.

Although the subject of identifying the dead is rather dark, the show still succeeds in providing intelligent and, at times, emotional entertainment. It also pays homage to the thousands of volunteers who help police departments across the country keep crime victims and their families from being forgotten.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the impact of seeing violent images on television. Do you need these kind of images to tell a "good" crime story?

  • Why do you think people volunteer for victims' assistance and advocacy groups, even if what they have to deal with is very disturbing? How do they cope with some of the difficult and/or frightening details of a criminal case?

TV Details

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