Parents' Guide to

Vanished

By Sierra Filucci, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Meaty mystery good for grown-ups.

TV Fox Drama 2006
Vanished Poster Image

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What's the Story?

In the glossy dramatic thriller VANISHED, the FBI searches for Sara Collins (Joanne Kelly), a Georgia senator's wife who's gone missing. As the investigation unfolds, law enforcement officials and the press discover that Sara has a secret past -- and that her disappearance may be linked to a greater conspiracy with national implications. The strong, diverse cast includes FBI agent Graham Kelton (Gale Harold), who's haunted by mistakes in his past; his determined associate Len Mei (Ming-Na); obsessed reporter Judy Nash (Rebecca Gayheart); and Detective Danny Lucas (Eddie Cibrian).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

With lots of characters and many possible angles for the narrative to pursue, Vanished -- like Lost and 24 -- is designed to hook viewers quickly. Just a few of the many puzzle pieces: The senator's teenaged son is hiding his relationship with his mother from his father. The senator's daughter has a shady boyfriend who may be involved in her stepmother's disappearance. A positive pregnancy test turns up in Sara Collins' bedroom. And a man from Sara's secret past returns. It's all very titillating, and with high quality acting and production, it's worth following.

Vanished's creator, Josh Berman, was formerly an executive producer of CSI, which explains some of the visual similarities between the two shows. Also like CSI, Vanished's content is adult, with highly sexual scenes and dead, bloody bodies. Some older teens may be able to handle it, but parents will probably want to preview it first.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about secrets. What kinds of things do people keep from others? How honest are family members with friends, acquaintances, and each other? Is it ever OK to keep a secret from your parents? How can revealing secrets hurt others and how can it help others -- or yourself?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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