FUBAR first premiered on Netflix in 2023 and quickly became one of Netflix’s top 10 shows that summer. The story follows CIA agent Luke Brunner (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who discovers that his daughter, Emma Brunner, is also in the CIA when they get put on a mission together. The father-daughter duo is dysfunctional at best, but their individual skills are top-notch, making them the perfect candidates for some pretty dangerous missions.
Some may say that Emma inherited her gifts from her dad (she is a rock star fighter!), but she tries hard throughout the series to separate her accomplishments from his. Much to Luke’s discomfort, season 1 also reveals that Emma had to sometimes engage in non-dad-approved behavior to complete her assignments.
What’s even more shocking to Luke is that his daughter would choose a life of secrecy, when the CIA is what caused a huge drift between himself, his wife, and his daughter throughout much of her childhood. So, we also get a little bit of family drama in the series.
While it’s a relief for Luke to be able to unveil his second identity, it’s also gut-wrenching for him to see his daughter throw away an engagement to a respectable guy for the CIA. He wants Emma to have a normal life and not end up divorced and alone like him. He also wants her to be able to have kids someday, which her ex-fiancé was more than ready to do.
Season 2 of FUBAR reminds us that a ‘normal’ life is probably not in the cards for anyone in the family at this point. The season picks up with the entire family (and their exes) trapped in a safe house with a few CIA agents while they try to sort out how to get rid of the bad guys who want them dead. You’ll want to watch the new season to see how everything unfolds, but you probably want to save it for adult time only.
FUBAR season 2 maintains the TV-MA rating
FUBAR is rated TV-MA for “language, smoking, and violence”, according to the label on Netflix. The show is action-packed, suspenseful, and will probably feel relatable in some ways because all families have their own issues. Mixed in with the seriousness of a spy series is also lots of comedy and crude humor. While there are some TV-MA shows that we recommend as safe for mature teens, this one probably wouldn’t make that list.
Sex & Nudity: There is partial nudity in the series, and lots of references to sex and related activities. There are a few different love triangles, which makes for quite the relational drama. Aside from the sexual tension and chemistry between characters, there are also numerous sexual jokes that would be inappropriate for teens—and that’s just the first episode!
Normally, if there is something educational related to sex in a series, I would say a mature teen could handle it, but FUBAR doesn’t aim to provide lessons for teens in this area. The focus really seems to be humor geared towards adults.
Violence: For a spy show, there is nothing over-the-top in this series when it comes to violence. One scene in the very first episode left at least a dozen people dead. If your teen watches horror movies, they’ve probably seen much more gore than what you’ll see in this show. You can expect lots of fighting and shooting, but if the rating were solely based on violence, it would be safe for teens. However, some of the other areas make it a better option for adults only.
Language: There is mild profanity in the series, including the b-word, damn, s**t, and g-damn. For the first episode, I didn’t notice any f-words, but I would certainly expect to hear it at some point in the series. The real killer in the language category is the sexually charged content. One character makes a crude joke using the word “blow,” and bakes cookies shaped like breasts, calling them t*t bits. I currently have young children, but if I had a teen, I’d probably want to draw the line with this show.
Alcohol: Alcohol is present but not overdone. There were no drugs in the first episode, but that could come in future episodes.
Overall verdict: Don’t watch this Fubar around young eyes or ears
Don't let the father-daughter dynamic of the show fool you: FUBAR is a fun watch as an adult, but I would not want to watch it with my kids or teens.
The humor is not teen-appropriate, and there aren’t even teen characters to make this show more appealing for a younger audience. Overall, my mom-advice would be that the TV-MA rating is fair, and to keep the show under wraps until the kids aren’t around.