Outer Banks season 4 parents guide: It's all about the language

It’s all about the Pogue life, and with Outer Banks season 4, part 1 here, there’s no doubt you want to jump right back into it. The question now is whether you need to strategically watch it or not.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could watch our favorite shows while the kids are around? There are a few we need to wait for them to go to bed for. I wouldn’t say Outer Banks is one of the worst, but this depends on where your limits are in terms of language.

The fourth season, like previous seasons, is officially rated TV-MA, but I don’t think it deserves it.

Outer Banks season 4 lands a rating due to its language

I do say that it’s the language that puts this show up at TV-MA. If it wasn’t for the F-bombs, I could see this series being dropped to a TV-14 rating. Let’s take a look at why.

Sex & nudity: While there is certainly relationship drama and there are some elements of sex implied, there isn’t much sex and nudity shown on the screen. As with previous seasons, the characters wear minimal clothing. They’re in some hot and sticky climates, so I don’t really blame them for their clothing choices!

Sex is mentioned, and there are some sexual jokes. Some of these are going to go over the heads of younger viewers. This series is tastefully done when it comes to relationships.

Language: As I mentioned, this is where the TV-MA rating comes in. There are numerous F-bombs throughout the fourth season so far. This is the worst of the swear words used. Others are the S-word or the B-word, and there are lesser words like damn and hell.

We’re seeing characters who have grown up in difficult situations, and some of them without responsible parents. They are getting themselves into sticky and life-threatening situations, so the language is realistic to the story. If that’s where you draw the line with your kids, then this isn’t the show for them.

Violence & gore: There are some life-threatening moments. Previous seasons have seen brawls and gun fights, so that’s something to keep in mind going into Outer Banks season 4. Yes, there are more fights, and yes, there is a little bit of gore.

I’d say it’s on the level of something I’d see in NCIS or Supernatural. While there are fights, they don’t get to the point where it feels graphic for the sake of being graphic. There is the aftermath with bruises and cuts on the body.

Alcohol & drugs: The very first episode of Outer Banks season 4 does involve a character selling weed and even smoking it. Some episodes in the past have had teens distributing and taking cocaine, and we do see drinking throughout the series. While I wouldn’t say it’s enough to make this unfriendly for children, it is something to have a discussion with them about.

Overall verdict: Who is Outer Banks season 4 appropriate for?

Most teens aren’t going to feel all that uncomfortable with language and drug use on the screen. The bit that gets a lot of children is the nudity and the sex. So, with that in mind, I’d say that Outer Banks season 4 could work for older teenagers, but it will depend on your limitations when it comes to language. Overall, this is a fun adventure show and includes some realities of treasure hunting.