Check out our Gift Guides

Additional menu

Edutaining Kids

Toy & Game Reviews

Parents’ Corner: A Guide to TV

A Parent’s Guide to Television

Although Edutaining Kids is already dedicated to parents, we recognize the need to carve out some much-needed time for yourself in the hectic world of parenting. Parents’ Corner is thereby dedicated to recommending entertainment worthy of the limited time parents have to themselves. If you are a parent that enjoys binge-watching great television as a way of winding down, this is the guide for you. This guide will provide you with overviews of television shows from numerous genres, as well as where to access them, and whether they can be appropriately watched with the kids, watched with the kids in the same room, or better watched solo or with other adults.

Drama

Alias

From the creator of the equally addictive Lost, Alias follows Sydney Bristow and her life as a spy. However, there’s a twist: it turns out Sydney has been unknowingly working for major enemies of the United States for years, who were pretending to be a covert branch of the CIA. Recruited by the actual CIA, Sydney must work as a double agent in order to take them down. Alias is non-stop action with cliffhangers and twists galore, and continuously leaves you wanting more. However, Alias also provides a multitude of emotional elements that ground the action-heavy show and excels the show above just thrills, such as her extremely complicated relationship with her father, and the friendships she has outside the spy world. Definitely recommended to those who love a good, twisty, action-filled dramas.

Can I watch it with the kids?: It is rated PG-14 in the United States, and I agree that it is best suited for teenagers and up to watch, but isn’t so explicit that you can’t watch it with the kids around.

[Stream or buy: Alias: Season 1 on Prime Video, Alias: Season 1 on DVD, or Alias: The Complete Series on Amazon.com]

The Americans

A masterpiece from beginning to end. Taking place during the 1980’s Cold War, it follows two KGB agents posing as an American married couple with children with an counterintelligence FBI agent living across the street. The show has its fair share of twists and action, but it never feels cheap or meaningless. It manages to be a slow-burn drama while still leaving you on the edge of your seat and tense nearly constantly as you end up deeply caring for these characters. At its core, beyond the spying and the tension of being caught, it is a fascinating depiction of a family and a marriage with incredible performances throughout the cast.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Nope. It contains some graphic violence, nudity, and sex scenes.

[Stream or buy: The Americans: Season 1 on Prime Video or The Americans: Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.com]

American Horror Story

American Horror Story is twisted, creepy, and a whole lot of fun. Each season tells a different, completely separate horror story, most of which have been extremely engaging and exciting. The ever-changing cast includes stars such as Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Zachary Quinto, Kathy Bates, and more, who give excellent performances, and the show is constantly attracting big name guest stars. American Horror Story is not for the faint of heart, as it contains a lot of graphic imagery and truly scary and disturbing moments. However, this is a great pick for both horror fans, but is still entertaining for people who do not usually watch horror films or television programs as each season, some more than others, still incorporates a good amount of comedy. It contains a great mix of horror and humor, and has genuinely interesting characters that will keep you invested in the story.

Can I watch this with the kids?: Definitely not. This is a show best kept to adults!

[Stream or buy: American Horror Story: Murder House on Prime Video or American Horror Story: Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.com]

Breaking Bad

You’ve almost definitely heard the hype around this show, and it is very well deserved. It follows Walter White, a father and husband, who is diagnosed with a terminal cancer, and decides to get into the crystal meth business in order to provide for his family before his death. The show is a wild ride of suspenseful action, but also provides an intriguing character study of what money and power can do to a person. The attention to detail regards to symbolism brings it to another level.  Breaking Bad manages to be one of the rare shows I have seen that feels complete by the end, with all or most loose ends tied up.

[Stream or buy: Breaking Bad: Season 1 on Prime Video, Breaking Bad: Season 1 on DVD, or Breaking Bad: The Complete Series on DVD on Amazon.com]

Friday Night Lights

A truly heartfelt and affecting watch, Friday Night Lights follows a high school football team in a small town in Texas, and the people surrounding it. Although it follows a high school setting for the most part, it excels beyond the typical high school drama by offering very realistic storylines and characters that are all lovable in their own way. It is the kind of television show that can manage to make the audience cry in practically any episode, as it manages to quickly flesh out the characters enough that the audience can deeply emphasize with them. Not interested in football? No worries! Although it clearly involves a fair bit of football, it is definitely not necessary to enjoy football to enjoy the show. It manages to expertly weave their storylines with the football sequences enough to engage even those least interested in football. Highly recommended.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Rated as PG-14, it is best viewed with/around teenagers. There is nothing overly explicit, but there is sexual content as well as underage drinking represented frequently.

[Stream or buy: Friday Night Lights: Season 1 on Prime Video, Friday Night Lights: Season 1 on DVD or Friday Night Lights: The Complete Series on Amazon.com]

The Good Wife

Although shows about lawyers are a dime a dozen, The Good Wife manages to feel fresh despite being in such an overcrowded genre. It follows Alicia Florrick returning to her career in law after a long absence following a very public sex scandal of her State’s Attorney husband lands him in prison. The show relies on more subtle drama and isn’t overly flashy, making for an easy and satisfying watch. The acting from the main cast is brilliant, but they also shine in their extremely interesting and entertaining recurring and guest cast.

Can I watch it with the kids?: In the U.S., some episodes are rated PG, and others PG-14. It tackles a fair amount of serious subjects that are not appropriate for children, can occasionally show crime scene photos, and has the occasional non-explicit sex scene. I’d suggest listening to the PG-14 rating.

[Stream or buy: The Good Wife: Season 1 on Prime Video, The Good Wife: Season 1 on DVD or The Good Wife: The Complete Series on Amazon.com]

The Handmaid’s Tale

Review coming soon.

How To Get Away With Murder

Always exciting and feeling fresh, How To Get Away With Murder is a show I cannot imagine anyone hating. It follows a criminal law teacher at a law school, her team, and the students she hires to work with her for the semester as they get tangled in a web of lies and murder. Viola Davis in the lead role of Annalise Keating is consistently amazing in this role and is absolutely captivating. The show follows a format of flash forwards that give clues to a climactic event in the middle of the season, and then follows with the aftermath of said event for the rest of the season. This format manages to keep every season fresh and keeps the viewer on their toes as they try to piece together a new mystery. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a show that is both thrilling and character-driven.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Would not recommend. Although it does not have graphic nudity or excessive profanity, it can still get pretty racy compared to some other network television shows.

[Stream or buy: How To Get Away With Murder: Season 1 on Prime Video, or How To Get Away With Murder: Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.com]

Killing Eve

Review coming soon.

The Leftovers

Review coming soon.

Mr. Robot

Review coming soon.

Orange Is The New Black (EDIT)

This show lives up to the hype. It gives a platform for brilliant acting from women who normally would not get leading roles in television or film. It is humorous, heartbreaking, and heartwarming all at the same time, while touching on important issues without it feeling like its trying to hard. Be warned that it can be quite emotional and hard to watch sometimes because of the subject matter, but it is worth it for the important messages about the prison system and society as a whole.

Skins

Skins is an edgier version of a typical teen drama. It deals with serious issues that aren’t always addressed in teen dramas in a way that isn’t preachy, and doesn’t follow a “lesson-of-the-week” format. Skins follows groups of teenage friends in Bristol, with the cast changing every two seasons. Each generation features memorable characters that you are able to empathize with easily. Although it is not completely realistic all the time and does use dramatic plot twists that aren’t typical to the teenage/young adult experience, it does feel more realistic in certain areas. The actors are more appropriately aged, and the characters act like the teenagers/young adults they are supposed to be. It really can be surprisingly poignant and emotional, and is packed with incredibly memorable and quote-able scenes. Overall, it is worth a shot if you like teen dramas and character/relationship driven shows.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Not really. May be fine for later teenagers, but there is a lot of underage drinking and drug use shown, as well as sexual scenarios.

[To buy: Skins: Series 1 on DVD on Amazon.com]

This Is Us

For those who love a good tearjerker, this is the show for you. This Is Us follows the Pearson family, two parents and their three children, in multiple timelines of their lives. Almost every episode involves story lines taking place at different time periods that brilliantly tie into each other and make for a steady stream of very emotional, realistic, and touching moments. It is a family drama with a whole lotta heart, and has the ability to make the viewer cry in practically every episode thus far.

Can I watch it with the kids?: It is rated PG-14 in the United States. It can tackle some intense and emotional topics, which may not be appropriate for younger children, but is otherwise quite safe for teenagers to watch.

[Stream or buy: This Is Us: Season 1 on Prime Video or This Is Us: Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.com]

Veronica Mars

Review coming soon.

Wentworth

Most of us have at least heard of, if not already spent multiple nights binge watching, Orange Is The New Black, but not often do people talk about another excellent show set in a women’s prison. Wentworth is an Australian show set in Wentworth prison, and initially follows Bea Smith who had been newly arrested for the attempted murder of her abusive husband. The prison has its fair share of friendly faces, but also some completely terrifying ones, and Bea is very quickly faced with very harsh realities as she climbs the prison hierarchy throughout the first few seasons. The ensemble cast contains a wide variety of interesting, often very morally grey characters. The show is great at exploring each character’s individual back stories and rounding out their side characters to the point where you understand their motivations clearly. If you are a fan of OITNB, Wentworth is a great show to watch to get your fix, but be aware that Wentworth can get a lot grittier and darker and is not a dramedy like OITNB is. Wentworth stands apart as its own being, and is a terrific watch.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Nope. Can definitely get very violent at times, and is not for the faint of heart.

[Stream or buy: Wentworth: Season 1 on Prime Video or Wentworth: Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.com]

Comedy

Arrested Development

There is a reason this series has developed a huge following over the years, and has even garnered enough support to create a new seasons several years after the show was cancelled. This excellent, smart comedy follows the dysfunctional Bluth family who are brought together again when their father is arrested. Having had been the founder of their family business, The Bluth Company, the rest of the spoiled members of the Bluth family must then deal with the fallout of their new standing as a family. The series is jam-packed with hilarious, often outrageous, and completely memorable characters that you will be referencing for years to come. The protagonist, Michael, serves as the most logical and relatable character amongst the outrageous antics of the other characters, which balances the series through the chaos so that it does not get to over-the-top territory. Arrested Development is a must-watch staple for anyone who loves comedy television.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Is rated either PG or PG-14 in the United States. It is generally quite safe for children as the bleep out any curse words, don’t have nudity, and have moderate sexual references (which are often innuendos that children would not understand). Children younger than teenagers would probably not find much enjoyment from the show, but generally would be safe to watch in the same room as them.

[Stream or buy: Arrested Development: Season 1 on Prime Video, Arrested Development: Season 1 on DVD, or Arrested Development: The Three Original Seasons on Amazon.com]

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Extremely original and fresh, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend manages to be a show that I truly cannot compare to any other TV show. It follows Rebecca Bunch, depressed in New York City, who moves to West Covina, California on a whim after running into an ex boyfriend from a short-lived teenage summer romance who lives there. It is both a dramedy and a musical, as each episode features multiple musical numbers that are consistently hilarious. It unravels the “crazy ex girlfriend” stereotype by heavily focusing on Rebecca’s mental health and does so in a successful, compassionate way. All in all, a very smart and enjoyable watch that makes you think.

Can I watch it with the kids?: It is rated 14-up in the United States, and I think that is a good guide. No explicit nudity or sex scenes, nor any violence, but a fair amount of talk about sex and suggestive scenes.

[Stream or buy: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Season 1 on Prime Video or Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.com]

Glow

A very fun, yet often impactful show. Set in the 1980s, Glow follows a group of misfit women as they create a women’s wrestling show called the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW) with the help of their begrudging director and overenthusiastic producer. It is successful at balancing a lot of fun action sequences and funny moments as the women struggle to put the show together from scratch with more serious elements, such as sexism in the entertainment industry and racial stereotyping. The ensemble cast of women is fantastic, and it is a show that passes the Bechdel test with flying colors. The fractured friendship between the two leads, Ruth Wilder and Debbie Eagan, is captivating and extremely well performed by the actresses, and is definitely a standout as well.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Nope. There is a few instances of more graphic nudity and sex scenes, as well as a lot of sexual talk. It also contains a fair bit of profanity, and tackles some serious social topics.

[Stream all seasons on Netflix]

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Review coming soon.

Jane The Virgin

This show is absolutely delightful. It follows the Villanueva family as their rather regular life suddenly takes a turn to the ways of the telenovelas they love to watch when Jane, who has vowed to stay a virgin until marriage, ends up pregnant due to an accidental artificial insemination. It contains all the zany, outrageous fun of a telenovela or soap opera with their outrageous plot twists, yet still remains grounded and realistic within these plot lines. It can solidly fit in the ‘dramedy’ category, as it can consistently make you both laugh and cry in the span of an episode. Highly recommended to anyone who wants an fun, easy to watch show to marathon.

Can I watch it with the kids?: It is rated TV-PG, so it depends on the parent. Contains some talk of sex, but is done respectfully and realistically, with no nudity or explicit sex scenes.

[Stream or buy: Jane The Virgin: Season 1 on Prime Video or Jane The Virgin: Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.com]

The Mindy Project

Review coming soon.

Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet

Review coming soon.

Never Have I Ever

Review coming soon.

The Office

The Office was quite the groundbreaking show when it first premiered, and has managed to hold up very well in modern times. The Office is a spin-off of the UK show of the same name, and is a workplace comedy that takes place in Dunder Mifflin, a paper company in Scranton, PA. It is shot in the mockumentary style, and makes good use of the quirks that said format provides with very hilarious interviews and use of the characters interacting with the cameras. This show is still consistently quoted and referenced despite ending a few years ago, and that is due to it holding up very well in terms of comedy. The wide variety of characters all have something fun to offer to the show, and even when it wanes slightly in later seasons, it still manages to provide many big laughs in every episode.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Rated PG-14 or PG in the United States depending on the episode. It does not have explicit sex scenes or nudity, and does not have a lot of profane language. However, they do occasionally make sexual or inappropriate jokes, so I’d say it is best suited for teenagers.

[Stream or buy: The Office: Season 1 on Prime Video, The Office: Season 1 on DVD, or The Office: The Complete Series on Amazon.com]

You’re The Worst

Review coming soon.

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Angel

Angel, the spinoff to the cult classic Buffy The Vampire Slayer, is often dubbed the “grown-up Buffy”. Although Buffy can also be quite dark at times, the tone of Angel feels overall grittier. After season 3 of Buffy, her vampire boyfriend Angel moves to Los Angeles and opens up Angel Investigations in order to help people with their supernatural problems. Joined by Cordelia and Wesley from Sunnydale, as well as a few new faces, they work together to “help the helpless”. Although the first season could feel a little bit slow and unfocused, midway through the second season is where it really starts to find its footing and becomes an excellent spinoff to an excellent show. All the characters that were carried over from Buffy The Vampire Slayer become even more three-dimensional, and the new characters are equally intriguing. The series is action-packed, and in typical Buffy fashion, will shock you, and make you very emotionally invested in the fate of the characters. If you have not watched BTVS, don’t fret! Angel also can stand alone as a series. For Buffy fans, it provides a lot of fun crossovers, but watching both is not necessary in order to enjoy the other.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Rated PG-14 in the United States. Nothing overly explicit, and doesn’t have excessive violence (about the same amount as Buffy) or profanity, but can definitely get dark at times.

[Stream or buy: Angel: Season 1 on Prime Video, Angel: Season 1 on DVD, or Angel: The Complete Series on Amazon.com]

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

This show is definitely a cult classic with a rabid fanbase for a reason. Buffy The Vampire Slayer follows Buffy Summers, a teenage girl who is called to be the newest vampire slayer, and has to come to terms with her destiny of fighting vampires and other demons and monsters. Despite having aired in the 1990s and early 2000s, the show holds up rather well in current times (other than the sometimes hilariously outdated special effects!) with a great mix of wit and drama. It mixes “monster of the week” storylines with compelling overarching plots, and hosts numerous entertaining characters. Although it may seem at first glance to be cheesy based on the title and general description, it manages to tackle very human issues, and is much more engaging and affecting than the typical monster-of-the-week fare. It is a show that can get incredibly creative, and can be quoted to no end with all the witticisms it offers. Even if it may not look like something you’d be interested in at first glance, I highly recommend giving it a shot, as it is an outstandingly entertaining watch that really sticks with much of those who watch it.

Can I watch it with the kids?: It ranges from being rated PG to TV-14 in the United States. The first three seasons can be relatively safe for kids, with just some mild sexual content and  occasionally cursing. However, seasons 4 onward contains more sexual content. All seasons can get rather dark or scary at times, as well.

[Stream or buy: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Season 1 on Prime Video, Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Season 1 on DVD, or Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Complete Series on Amazon.com]

Dollhouse

This show definitely deserved to last so much longer than 2 seasons! The show follows a “Dollhouse” that contains human beings who have had their personalities and memories stored away, and act as “dolls” that can have temporary personalities and skills uploaded into them and be rented out to rich clientele for whatever they want, whether it be for assassinations, companionship, knowledge, or anything else desired. This is a great show for anyone who likes sci-fi or shows with lots of action and great, interesting characters. It is full of twists that will genuinely surprise you. The first episodes are not that exciting, but once you hit the middle of season 1, its nonstop excitement. Despite it only getting 2 seasons, it still gives you a satisfying ending that makes it worth the watch.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Rated TV-14 in the United States. It isn’t graphic, but does contain some sexual scenarios, mild violence, and can get rather dark occasionally.

[Stream or buy: Dollhouse: Season 1 on Prime Video, Dollhouse: Season 1 on DVD, or D0llhouse: The Complete Series on Amazon.com]

In The Flesh

In The Flesh is a very interesting take on a zombie show, and is not at all like the zombie apocalypse shows that many of us have come to know. It takes place after a zombie rising and subsequent war have already occurred, at a point in time when they have developed a “cure” that makes the zombies not rabid anymore and restores the personality they had when they were alive, despite remaining essentially dead. Rather than being action-heavy and violence-based, it instead focuses on the human aspects of this kind of event. Instead of the tension between the alive and dead being purely about survival, it reflects the emotional tension of the fear of the unknown and the need for acceptance from the majority. Highly recommended.

Can I watch this with my kids?: It can occasionally be quite graphically violent, and has a lot of talk of suicide and depression that can be upsetting for young children. I’d say it is a show best for adults or late teenagers (with parent’s guidance)

[Stream or buy: In The Flesh: Season 1 on Prime Video on Amazon.com]

Lost

Review coming soon.

Orphan Black

A great balance of both action and heart, Orphan Black follows Sarah Manning who after witnessing a woman who looks exactly like her commit suicide, discovers that she is one of many clones around the world. This leads her to be actively involved in uncovering this massive conspiracy with her fellow clones. The driving force behind this show is Tatiana Maslany’s incredible performance as all of the clones, who manages to master making the audience completely forget that the same actress who plays Sarah also plays Alison, Cosima, and Helena by giving each character distinct quirks that differentiate themselves from each other completely. All in all, it is a thrill of an experience to watch, and consistently leaves you wanting more.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Rated Mature in the United States, so it should stick with the adults!

[Stream or buy: Orphan Black: Season 1 on Prime Video, Orphan Black: Season 1 on DVD, or Orphan Black: The Complete Series on Amazon.com]

Preacher

Review coming soon.

Sense8

Review coming soon.

Teen Wolf

Such a fun watch! It follows a regular teenage boy, Scott McCall, who gets bitten by a werewolf, and has to navigate his new reality as a werewolf while also dealing with the general awkwardness of high school. It straddles the teen drama genre with supernatural elements quite nicely, and can range from hilarious and heartbreaking from episode to episode. It is full of great, lovable characters that are easy to get attached to. I feel like the show suffers when the focus more on mythos than the characters, which is why i feel season 4 and season 5 were less interesting. Overall, it is worth the watch when you are craving something fun and action-heavy that isn’t completely mindless.

Can I watch it with the kids?: Rated TV-14 in the U.S. Can occasionally be a little scary for very young kids, but would be fine to watch with kids nearby for the most part.

[Stream or buy: Teen Wolf: Season 1 on Prime Video, Teen Wolf: Season 1 on DVD, or Teen Wolf: The Complete Series on Amazon.com]

True Blood

Review coming soon.

The Vampire Diaries

Review coming soon.

The Walking Dead

Review coming soon.