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The Lying Game
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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 thriller based on the book series by Sara Shepard dabbles in plenty of high school drama like romance, deception, popularity contests, and cattiness, but the fact that the story's protagonist keeps her distance from the bad behavior usually casts it in a negative light. Language is unpredictable ("hell" and "ass," mostly), and sexiness runs high among the teens, although physical contact usually tops out at kissing. If your teens can handle the show's suspense, then this tantalizing mystery will keep them on the edge of their seat.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Watch with your child!
A nice surprise-
Pretty decent show
Cool show for tweens and teens :)
What's the story?
THE LYING GAME centers on Emma (Alexandra Chando), a well-meaning teen who's been bounced around the foster system her whole life and is overjoyed to discover that she has a long-lost twin sister, Sutton (Chando again). Despite having an idyllic life with her wealthy adoptive family, Sutton's angry with her parents for what she sees as their deception over the details of her adoption, and she sets out to locate the girls' birth mother. At her sister's urging, Emma agrees to swap identities for a few days while Sutton tracks a lead, but when she doesn't turn up at their arranged meeting place, Emma's stuck keeping up the charade. She's unsure how long she can fool Sutton's parents and friends, and she fears that doing so will keep her from discovering the truth about her biological family.
Is it any good?
Dramatic and suspenseful, The Lying Game is based on a series of novels of by Sara Shepard, who also penned the best-selling books that inspired another ABC Family teen drama, Pretty Little Liars. Once again, Shepard's multi-dimensional characters translate well to the small screen, enticing viewers with their scintillating secrets and unpredictable motives. If you look a little deeper, you'll even find a few examples of warm relationships, like those of Sutton's parents and the one that her sister, Laurel (Allie Gonino), strives to have with Sutton's stand-in, Emma.
Because the show is geared toward teens, you can expect the requisite romance, betrayal, and cattiness of a "normal" TV teen's life. But the content feels a little exaggerated (and thus its silliness is exposed), since down-to-earth Emma usually observes, rather than partakes in, the unbecoming behavior. And the good news is that the content is fairly mild for the teen set, with minimal violence and marginal language ("hell" and "ass," mostly), and only kissing and some physical contact within relationships. That said, the chilling suspense and pending sense of danger require a certain sturdiness from viewers.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about relationships. Are there any admirable relationships in this show? What qualities make them so? What qualities are important in your friends? How do you tell the difference between honest relationships and superficial ones?
Teens: What defines a family? How important is biology in family bonds? If you were adopted, would you want to find your biological parents? Why or why not?
Have you ever faced a difficult decision that involved deceiving someone you cared about? What factors affected your choice? Were you happy with the result? Is dishonesty ever OK?
TV details
- Premiere date: August 15, 2011
- Cast: Alexandra Chando, Helen Slater
- Network: Freeform
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: NR
- Available on: Streaming
For kids who love drama
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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.