The Couple Next Door starring Outlander's Sam Heughan, Eleanor Tomlinson, Alfred Enoch, and Jessica De Gouw, is now streaming, and the steamy psychological thriller is off to a good start! The first episode is definitely an establishing one where we meet the characters and find out where everyone's headspace is at. At the same time, of course the writers throw in some intriguing secrets and provide little hints at the struggles they're facing.
Even if you haven't had a chance to watch the first episode yet, you've probably seen the trailer and the mature-looking subject matter. It's pretty straightforward and you can guess why the show on Starz is rated TV-MA. This means that the series contains scenes not suitable for those under 17 years old.
Even so, you might be looking for a little more detail to see whether your older teens might be able to watch it, with or without supervision. We're going to get into some of what you can expect to help you out, without spoilers.
First off, Becka and Danny are in an open marriage and as seen in the first episode, invite a couple over. We don't really see anything, it's just alluded to at the moment. Though there is a voyeuristic aspect to it that will come up.
There are a few graphic sex scenes as well across the six episodes of season 1. Not really a surprise given the psychological thriller nature of the story. They are pretty detailed, including the characters naked. Some are also exposed from from behind. There's also a couple of scenes with characters pleasuring themselves.
Everyone is an adult here, so there is drinking and smoking weed. It's nothing too crazy, but something to keep in mind. There's also the use of guns, as well as some violence and blood. Danny is a cop after all and also gets mixed into some dangerous dealings.
The Couple Next Door also features the character of Alan, a neighbor who obsessively watches Becka through a telescope. He even goes to her yoga classes in episode 1. His behavior escalates later on, which could be something you want to be mindful of for your teens. There's also portrayals of loss and grief.
Overall, I think The Couple Next Door would be an ok watch for older teens. Perhaps around 15 years of age, it wouldn't be too bad. However, that all comes back to your comfort level, especially with the visual sex scenes. I would say this series is a definite skip for kids who are maybe around 13 years old and under. Even if there is adult supervision, it's too mature.
Again, I think this is obvious given the trailer for the psychological thriller. Something else to keep in mind is the genre. Some parents are not comfortable with shows that see characters in a dark and difficult mind set. These are all elements to be aware of.
The Couple Next Door streams new episodes Fridays on Starz.