Parents' Guide to

What/If

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Sex and violence in fun, dark, soapy Zellweger drama.

TV Netflix Drama 2019
What/If Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all
age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

shanae1610
shanae1610 Adult
May 23, 2020
age 13+

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Dark and soapy WHAT/IF revolves around Lisa (Jane Levy), whose desperation to fund her medical startup leads her to make a deal with the duplicitous Anne (Renee Zellweger): Anne will give Lisa millions for her company in exchange for a night alone with Sean (Blake Jenner). But Anne has more on her mind than a simple exchange, and soon Lisa and her circle of friends and family are swept up in the drama.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Pulpy, juicy, and filled with ridiculous yet dramatically satisfying twists, this drama is a delightful bingeable pleasure. The official Netflix trailer for this series begins with a flash of lightning over the Golden Gate Bridge and a rumble of thunder, so that should clue you in to exactly how subtle this show is. "True greatness only comes to those willing to pursue it at any cost," says Zellweger's Anna to herself at the top of the series, underlining "at any cost" twice on a scratch pad. We get it! You're ruthless! And so we're not surprised when the show seems to settle immediately into an Indecent Proposal groove.

But things are going to go in way, way weirder directions than you think. Meeting the pleasant cast in the first episode, you may think you're in for a slightly racier Grey's Anatomy with the f-word, but the plot rises to positively over-the-top levels in later episodes. Fans of creator Mike Kelley's earlier dramas -- the cult-fave Jericho and the similar-in-tone-and-execution Revenge -- are particularly urged to give What/If a try.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about What/If 's central theme of past choices affecting one's future. What are the negative consequences characters suffer in this drama? Are the consequences fitting and deserved? Or are they unfair?

  • This show is similar in tone to another one by the same creator, Revenge. If you've seen that show, how is this one like its predecessor? How did changing providers from network TV to Netflix change what creator Mike Kelley includes in the show? How much does this show push the envelope as far as mature content? Does said mature content improve the show?

  • Many modern dramas try to surprise audiences with twists. What twists does this drama contain? Do you like this type of storytelling? Does it make you want to keep watching? Are these types of twists realistic? Does it matter?

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.

See all recommended tv lists

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.

See how we rate