There are a few new shows on NBC right now, and one of them is Grosse Pointe Garden Society. The question is whether this series is something to watch before or after the kids have gone to bed.
Two episodes have been released so far, giving us a great idea of what to expect from this series. It’s a little bit of a mix of Desperate Housewives and the second season of Why Women Kill. While the series has some juicy drama, there is a murder mystery at the heart of the show.
In an interesting twist, this series doesn’t follow the usual “whodunit” type of storytelling. We know who the murderers are, and now we need to see how they can get away with it, why they did, and who they even killed. That’s right; we don’t know who the body belonged to just yet.
Grosse Pointe Garden Society age rating: Explaining the TV-14 age rating
Like all broadcast dramas, Grosse Pointe Garden Society is officially rated TV-14. This is the standard for broadcast because there’s no telling who will be around when the shows air. This is despite the initial airing of the show being at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Networks want to make sure a TV series is suitable for syndication, and being TV-MA would rule that out!
Sex & nudity: There isn’t a lot of sex or nudity throughout the first two episodes. What we expect to see is some people walking around in underwear or bikinis now and then. There’s also a chance that we’ll have implied hookups and sex behind closed doors, and there may even be times when couples are waking up in bed with each other.
There was a scene of two people kissing, and we know that some of the characters are having affairs. However, nothing is explicitly shown when it comes to sex.
Violence & gore: While there is a murder mystery at the heart of Grosse Pointe Garden Society, this isn’t something that is shown in detail. We know that the characters used various gardening tools to do the murder, but that murder wasn’t graphically shown. We haven’t even seen the body since that would give away who did it.
This is likely the way the series will play out for the rest of the season. There may be moments where small fistfights break up and some bruises or gashes are shown. However, broadcast networks don’t get too graphic with their violence.
Language: The language used in this is mild. There are no F-bombs and the S-word isn’t used throughout. The worst is phrasing like “son of a B,” and this is expected for the rest of the series due to it being on broadcast.
Alcohol & drugs: There are characters who will drink alcohol throughout the series. In fact, a character called Birdie is known for drinking and taking some drugs recreationally, although she is on probation which limits some of it. She also smokes regularly, despite saying that she is trying to quit. Many of the characters use a glass of wine or a bottle of beer at the end of the day to unwind.
Overall verdict: Who is Grosse Pointe Garden Society appropriate for?
The series is rated TV-14, and it certainly earns that rating. There is some violence as there is a murdered body, and we know that shows like this will likely involve some violence and a tiny bit of gore. The storyline also isn’t the most entertaining for younger members of the family.
I’d say older teenagers may enjoy this, especially if they’ve watched Desperate Housewives with you as you’ve searched for nostalgia. This would also work for those who enjoyed a show like Why Women Kill. If you have younger children, this isn’t going to be something for them, so wait until they’ve gone to bed to watch.
Grosse Pointe Garden Society airs Sundays at 10/9c on NBC.