The Recruit parents guide and age rating: Is the spy show okay for kids?

Noah Centineo is a fledgling lawyer at the CIA in Netflix’s new spy thriller series The Recruit. Centineo has spent a significant amount of time as the internet’s boyfriend and Netflix’s favorite heartthrob with movies like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Perfect Date, so it’s not surprising that many younger fans might show interest in his latest project. But is it appropriate for younger audiences?

The Recruit is an adult spy-adventure series rated TV-MA for language and violence. Based on the violence present in the show, I think the show could probably have been rated TV-14 if it weren’t for the coarse language and frequent usage of the f-word and other expletives. The violence isn’t overly gratuitous.

The Recruit parents guide and age rating

There is some sex in The Recruit, though, again, it’s not explicit or gratuitous. A mature teen would probably be fine to watch the show with their parents. However, if you are concerned by the content, it might be a good idea to check it out first if they’re younger than 17 to ensure it’s suitable for them.

Kids younger than 14-16 might not have much interest in the series as it is a more grounded spy show that deals heavily with the politics of working and operating in the CIA. Children might get easily bored as, while there is action, it isn’t as action-heavy as some spy shows.

Is there nudity in The Recruit?

There are some sex scenes in The Recruit, but they’re more sensual than anything. The show doesn’t have a “nudity” or “sexuality” content warning, which should tell you that the scenes are not overly explicit and mostly fade to black.

How violent is The Recruit?

The action and violence in The Recruit isn’t anything worse than what you’d see in a PG-13 action movie like James Bond. Most of it involves gunfights and some physical fighting.

One of the worst scenes happens very early in the show. The first episode has a moment of bodily harm during a “torture” scene that could disturb some viewers. Thankfully, it’s very brief.

Watch the trailer for The Recruit below. It should give you a better idea of what to expect from the series.

The Recruit premieres on December 16, 2022.