Common Sense Media Review
By Marty Brown
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
British family drama speculates bleakly on the future.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Years and Years
What's the Story?
In YEARS AND YEARS, the extended Lyons family grapples with political, social, and technological issues that affect them on a daily basis in the year 2024. Stephen and Celeste's daughter is obsessed with cutting-edge technology; Daniel becomes infatuated with one of the refugees he works with; Rosie raises two children as a single mother with spina bifida; Edith is a well-known activist who travels throughout the world; and matriarch Muriel just wants everyone to get together once a year for her birthday.
Is It Any Good?
More than any other show in recent memory, this series is wildly ambitious with its content: in fact, it attempts to confront just about every meaningful contemporary cultural and political issue within the confines of its six-episode run. What's even wilder is that it mostly succeeds in maintaining a unique and intriguing point-of-view while tying its sprawling, ambitious subject matter to gentle, human family conflict. One drawback: since it's a heavily idea-driven show, there's not really a single relatable character to experience the turbulent future through. In this way, Years and Years can sometimes feel more like an interesting experiment more than a compelling drama, but it would be tough to find a show with more to say about the present and the future.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the future. How does Years and Years take things that are happening in our current culture and speculate on how they will evolve years from now? Do you agree with any of the directions it predicts for the future? Which do you disagree with?
What are the current political and cultural issues that Years and Years grapples with? How does the show's depiction of these issues affect your understanding of them?
What are some differences between British and American culture? What are some similarities? Does anything on this show remind you of something happening in America? How? Do you think some of the events would be different if the show took place in America?
TV Details
- Premiere date : June 24, 2019
- Cast : Russell Tovey , Emma Thompson , Rory Kinnear , Jessica Hynes
- Network : HBO
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Activism , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , STEM
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
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