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Parents' Guide to

The Glades

By Will Wade, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Bodies pile up in swamp-set show about quirky detective.

TV A&E Drama 2010
The Glades 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 16+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Larryray
Larryray Adult
December 31, 2019
age 14+

Laisse Faire cop Show

Very repetitive plot lines. Limpid supportive characters. The worse finale ever filmed in a series. Pass more is entertaining.
LDScomicnerd
LDScomicnerd Adult
April 6, 2015
age 18+

Edgy but fun show

This show has great characters, interesting stories and is well made. I have seen most of the episodes (Netflix version). On the Netflix version, the language is pretty strong for network tv. Roughly ( pg13) including sh**, I don't remember any F words. The violence is pretty realistic and corpses and cadavers are shown constantly. The show often contains material sensual in nature due to people having/discussing affairs, sleeping together, etc, and because its in Florida, swimsuits and beaches are commonplace. There are a few episodes that get a bit edgy (simulated sex with fleeting almost-nudity, one episode is about a nudist colony, and so forth). The main characters are generally good people though with fairly wholesome romantic relationships. I do not recommend this show for children or even teens unless they are fine with intense and graphic pg13 content.
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Detective Jim Longworth (Matt Passmore) sure is smart, and he sure knows how to read people -- but he doesn't know much about his own interpersonal relations. That's why he manages to annoy so many of his colleagues with his eccentric investigative habits and quirky hunches that turn out to be right in THE GLADES, a police procedural show set in South Florida. Bodies turn up with surprising regularity, often ditched out in the swamp where the ‘gators can get them. But Longworth isn't intimidated by either the dangerous reptiles or the crimes. He just wants to close the case so he can get back to the golf course.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (3 ):

The Glades doesn't stray too far from the basic cop-show premise, though at least the setting is a little different than the typical city streets. Here, the often oppressive heat in South Florida and the proximity to one of the world's biggest marsh ecosystems combine to trigger a variety of gruesome crimes ... which the unconventional-but-brilliant Longworth always figures out.

Passmore is both entertaining and annoying in the lead role, but that's probably just how the character is written. He's sometimes fun to watch, which is good, because the crimes seem a lot like the cases in so many other cop shows. At least this one has plenty of alligators.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about cop shows. Besides the location, does this series seem significantly different from other current police shows? What do they tend to have in common?

  • Do you think Longworth's work habits are effective? Would his eccentric techniques be tolerated in a real police department?

  • How does the show portray underage drinking and smoking? What are the consequences of both in real life?

TV Details

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