Overview
Where to watch: Netflix
Have you heard of The Amazing Digital Circus? It’s an animated series on Netflix that’s recently caught parents off guard. The show includes depictions of death, open discussion of sex, and other dark, mature themes — yet Netflix has given it a TV-PG rating.
The premise of the show is that a group of humans gets trapped in a digital circus, where they’re forced to complete bizarre games under the direction of an unpredictable AI ringmaster named Caine. The bright, colorful animation combined with the PG rating led plenty of parents to assume this was a kid-friendly cartoon. In reality, it’s closer to psychological horror wrapped in dark comedy. Parents are calling for Netflix to respond and give the show a teen rating.
The show has stirred up real debate over its rating, so here are the facts:
- – The show’s creator, an independent animator known as Gooseworx, has been open that the series is made with a mature audience in mind, not young kids.
- – Netflix is the one that assigned the TV-PG rating.
- – PG generally signals brief or light violence, mild profanity, and suggestive dialogue. Many Disney Channel shows also have a TV-PG rating.
- – The show does not appear on Netflix’s kids’ profiles.
- – A theatrical finale, The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act, played in movie theaters and was rated PG-13 — a notably stricter rating than the TV-PG version on Netflix.
Now that we have some context, here’s what’s actually in the show.
Harmful Content ❗️
The show’s underlying theme is how being trapped (literally and psychologically) can wear a person down. Characters are repeatedly put through disturbing, high-stress challenges and have visible breakdowns as a result. It’s not unlike shows like Squid Game or even The Hunger Games franchise, but the retro-animation style and dark comedy give it a more unsettling or unnatural feel.
Language
The show includes mild profanity and insulting language. Stronger profanity is bleeped out.
Sex
Sex is openly talked about, though nothing is explicitly described or depicted. There are also many sexual innuendos and some implications that sexual acts are happening off-screen.
Violence
The violent content in this show is more disturbing than gory or bloody. For example, there’s one episode where characters have to team up in a “trust exercise” involving guns and the possibility of killing each other. Additionally, characters are constantly under duress of being attacked by vicious digital monsters.
Positive Value 💫
Some teens and adults can find entertainment and positive messages here, such as moments of teamwork, loyalty, and self-reflection. But the mature and dark content outweighs any benefits for young kids.
So, should my kid watch it?
We feel this show is only appropriate for those at least 13 years old. But we also strongly suggest taking your own child’s maturity and your family’s values into account before allowing them to watch it.
