Twisted
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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 Twisted centers on a seemingly connected series of murders involving tweens and high school students. There's some blood, along with dead bodies, but most of the violence is suggested rather than shown. Teen characters drink alcohol at parties, sometimes to excess, and use language like "hell," "damn," and "ass," along with slang like "numb nuts," "douche" and "bang." There's also some sexual tension, along with stereotypical high school politics and subtle bullying (mostly in the form of name-calling).
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
okay
Think it over
Twisted rating
What's the story?
Five years after killing his aunt, 16-year-old Danny Desai (Avan Jogia) returns to his hometown and starts high school under the watchful eyes of his suspicious classmates, who've nicknamed him "Socio" -- short for sociopath. But just when Danny's started making inroads with his two best childhood friends -- social outcast Jo (Maddie Hasson) and uber-popular Lacey (Kylie Bunbury) -- a fellow student turns up dead, and Danny becomes the prime suspect in a TWISTED murder plot.
Is it any good?
Armed with a charismatic male lead and an effectively suspenseful plot, Twisted has the potential to snare fans of teen-centric thrillers like Pretty Little Liars. But dialogue that's average at best -- coupled with a few far-from-gripping performances (see: Denise Richards) -- make this moody mystery so-so rather than stellar.
If anything's worth tuning in for, it's Jogia's magnetic performance as suspected "sociopath" Danny Desai, who proves a perfect blend of chilling and charming. He's also got great comic timing, resulting in a likable antihero you can't help but hope is innocent.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about high school politics and the social rules that determine the "in" crowd -- and the outcasts. How do the social groups portrayed on Twisted compare to real-life high school cliques? How realistic are the characters and their social behavior?
How do Danny and Jo measure up as role models? Do you view Danny as a generally good person or a generally bad person? Is he a hero or a villain -- and does it matter?
What are the real-life consequences of partying and underage drinking? How common is underage drinking among teens you know?
TV details
- Premiere date: March 19, 2013
- Cast: Avan Jogia, Kylie Bunbury, Maddie Hasson
- Network: Freeform
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: High School, Misfits and Underdogs
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: April 26, 2021
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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.
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