Supacell parents guide: Is the British sci-fi series from Rapman okay for kids?

Rapman’s new Netflix series, Supacell, is now streaming and on its way to becoming one of the best Netflix shows of the summer. 

Supacell tells the story of five people – Michael, Andre, Sabrina, Andre, and Tazer – living in South London who suddenly develop they have superpowers. When Michael (Tosin Cole) is visited by a version of himself from the future, he learns that they must unite and fight back against a sinister organization that will destroy them. 

Along with Cole, Adelayo Adedayo, Eddie Marsan, Yasmin Monet Prince, Calvin Demba, Nadine Mills, and Eric Kofi-Abrefa also star in Supacell. 

There are six episodes in the first season of Supacell, but is the British sci-fi series okay for kids? 

Explaining Supacell’s TV-MA rating 

According to Netflix, Supacell is rated TV-MA for “language, nudity, and violence.” To me, that doesn’t paint a very clear picture of what this series is. It’s a series with superhero elements to a certain extent, but it’s much more mature than a Marvel or DC movie. It’s not as graphic or satirical as The Boys. It’s a street-level, gritty sci-fi series. 

Sex & Nudity: Nudity is listed as one of the reasons for Supacell’s TV-MA rating, as mentioned above, but after watching all six episodes, I don’t recall seeing any explicit nudity in the series. There are a few scenes at adult establishments, and there are a few sex scenes and sexual situations in the series. There’s also an attempted sexual assault.

Language: If you’re not all that familiar with British slang and curse words, you will be by the end of Supacell. I don’t think they left one out! Obviously, it’s not going to be anything that older teens and adults hear on a regular basis, but it’s definitely not appropriate for younger teens and kids. 

Violence & Gore: This is where Supacell earns that TV-MA rating. It’s a show about people with super-human abilities and powers. There’s a lot of physical violence and fight sequences with those people with powers. One of the main storylines in Supacell involves a gang trying to expand their territory. There are many knife fights, shootouts, brawls, people getting killed and injured, and more. 

Overall, the series isn’t especially gory. In and immediately after the fight sequences, there is a fair amount of blood and some gruesome injuries. People die from their injuries. If you have a kiddo who is especially uninterested in that kind of violence and gore, this probably isn’t the show for them. Additionally, there’s a storyline involving a medical facility where people are being held against their will. I won’t spoil anything, but there are some disturbing events and acts of violence that happen there. 

I also want to mention that there are several instances of domestic violence discussed and depicted in the sci-fi series. In one scene, a man puts his hands around a woman’s throat. There are also threats of violence, including threats against an elderly woman. 

Alcohol & drugs: There aren’t many scenes where people are actually using drugs and alcohol, but there are several storylines involving drug dealers and traffickers, including several scenes at a drug house where people are cutting and packaging cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and other drugs. 

Overall verdict: Is Supacell okay for kids? 

Unfortunately, Supacell isn’t okay for most kids, and I know that’s going to bum people out because we all need a fresh take on the superhero genre to watch on Netflix.

Some parents might feel comfortable allowing older teens to watch the show, but it is quite violent for a Netflix drama. It’s not quite as brutal as something like Ozark, but it’s definitely one of the more violent Netflix shows I’ve seen in a long time. And, that’s really the only reason why I wouldn’t recommend the show to younger teens. The sex, language, and drug content are definitely for a more mature audience, but the violence is the reason this show is a no-go for anyone younger than 17 years old.