Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Twisted sex, murder dud set to the sounds of the 1980s.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Wicked City
What's the Story?
There's a charismatic slasher (Ed Westwick) stalking the Sunset Strip in 1980s Los Angeles, and he's preying on pretty, young victims by luring them to his car, stabbing them to death, and then having his way with them. Meanwhile, the homicide detective (Jeremy Sisto) assigned to the case is adapting to life with an ambitious new partner (Gabriel Luna) and wrestling quietly with his own personal demons. Other residents of this dangerously WICKED CITY include a reporter on the rise (Taissa Farmiga) and a lonely single mother (Erika Christensen) who's getting awfully close to the killer.
Is It Any Good?
From "Tainted Love" to "White Wedding," Wicked City's nostalgic soundtrack is pretty killer. But that's hardly enough to turn this tepid thriller into the guilty pleasure it's trying so hard to be. Turns out, you need more than blood and Billy Idol references to make a prime-time slasher drama cool; you also need a better script -- and compelling characters that feel human instead of hokey.
Though Wicked City's gore is hardly at Dexter levels, it gets in its share of violent visuals with severed heads and some seriously creepy S&M. Of course, it's all been toned down for network TV, resulting in a half-baked horror/procedural hybrid that doesn't quite work. But we have to wonder how much better Wicked City would be if it aired someplace where it could actually be shocking. That might be all it needs to make it wickedly good.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Wicked City's take on 1980s culture. How accurate is the series' portrayal of the times, and is accuracy important? What's the appeal of "period" dramas that serve up nostalgia for a particular time and place?
How does Wicked City compare to other detective dramas in terms of violence and sexual content? What might the series look like if it aired on a non-network medium such as Netflix, Showtime, or HBO?
Who is Wicked City's target audience, and how can you tell? Is it OK for older teens to watch, or is the content too edgy for kids?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 27, 2015
- Cast : Jeremy Sisto , Erika Christensen , Ed Westwick
- Network : ABC
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 25, 2022
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