Unforgettable
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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 the dangerous world these characters inhabit contains regular violence (including sexual violence) that nets dead bodies and bloody crime scenes. You'll also hear some low-level swearing (think "damn" and "hell") and see scenes in which sex is implied (but no sensitive body parts are shown). There's social drinking, too, along with occasional use of name brands like Prada and Viagra.
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Did Anyone Watch the Pilot?
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This show is Unforgettable!
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What's the Story?
Former cop Carrie Wells (Poppy Montgomery) is blessed and cursed with a rare medical condition that grants letter-perfect memory, making every mundane detail in her life UNFORGETTABLE -- every detail, that is, except critical information that could have solved her sister's murder years ago. So when her ex-flame and former homicide partner (Dylan Walsh) shows up asking questions about a crime in her apartment building, Carrie reluctantly signs on to help him and the NYPD look well beyond ordinary clues.
Is It Any Good?
The concept of a television crime-solver with extraordinary abilities is certainly nothing novel, whether it plays out as a legitimate psychic who uses her gifts to crack stubborn cases (Medium) or a phony medium who uses mind games to catch criminals (The Mentalist). So the only new thing Unforgettable is really adding to the mix is a really long but rather fun-to-pronounce word: hyperthymesia.
Of course, illustrating the concept of hyperthymesia presents a bit of a challenge, because it requires a lot of replay -- sometimes painfully slow replay -- of a scene in excruciating detail to prove that Carrie, like an elephant, never forgets. But, unfortunately, it gets a bit tiresome, and the show itself is ultimately unmemorable.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how accurately the show reflects the level of violence in the world around us. Do crime dramas like this one promote a culture of violence or merely portray our culture in a realistic light?
Would you consider Carrie to be a positive role model in spite of her flaws? Does her decision to use her gift to help others make up for negative choices she's made in the past? How believable is her character?
How does this series compare to other TV crime dramas? Why are crime dramas so popular, considering their overwhelmingly negative subject matter?
TV Details
- Premiere date: September 20, 2011
- Cast: Dylan Walsh, Michael Gaston, Poppy Montgomery
- Network: CBS
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: June 29, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
Lie to Me
Crime drama focuses on the details of deception.
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The Mentalist
Mature crime drama with unique premise and lots of violence.
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Psych
Smart detective series more funny than graphic.
For kids who love drama
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