Territory parents guide: How graphic is the language and violence?

Looking for a gritty and dramatic new series to escape into? Netflix takes us into the Australian Outback with the neo-Western series Territory, which made its streaming debut on Oct. 24. Fringe, Mindhunter, and The Last of Us leads a sprawling ensemble cast in the Yellowstone-esque series that's sure to become a hit with viewers hungry for a gripping binge-watch.

In the Australian Western, the world's largest cattle station Marianne Station undergoes a major season of change when the Lawson family loses one of their own. The uncertain future of the station's succession results in a dangerous battle for ownership by a number of rivals and others looking to get a piece of the Lawson family's dynasty.

Before diving into Territory and binge-watching all six episodes, you might be wondering what you are about to watch. Is there any graphic violence? How intense is the language? Do you have to worry about any surprise nudity? Here's the spoiler-free lowdown on the new Netflix Western series, including content and trigger warnings.

Territory earns TV-MA rating for language and violence

According to the show's official page on Netflix, Territory has been given a TV-MA rating for language, smoking, and violence. The series has been categorized as "for mature audiences," as the content featured throughout the six episodes isn't appropriate for younger viewers. For a closer look at what to expect from the series, we're sharing a detailed but spoiler-free parents guide.

Sex and nudity

As teased by the age rating categories provided by Netflix, sex and nudity don't play a large part in Territory. In the first episode, an early scene features a male wearing nothing but underwear. He's shirtless, but nothing explicit is shown as he kisses his girlfriend. Another scene involves a woman rushing out of a house with her top unbuttoned and bra showing as a man walks out without a shirt and his pants unbuttoned.

There are at least three more intimate scenes between male and female characters, but again, none feature nudity. One scene depicts a couple kissing in the shower with the female partner taking off her top, but she's shown from behind. A different scene shows a couple making out while swimming in their underwear, while another short scene gets the closest to depicting sex, but it's not explicit and doesn't contain nudity.

A completely different instance of sexuality later on in the season involves a man grabbing his genitals outside of his shorts in order to intimidate another man. All in all, the "nudity" mostly comes down to Sam Corlett being shirtless in a number of scenes.

Language and violence

Throughout the six episodes, language and violence have a significantly heightened presence. Those who aren't fans of profanity should know that there are lots of expletives thrown around in a fair amount of scenes. Variations of "f-ck," "sh-t," "d-ckhead," and other major profanities, such as "c-nt," can be heard in each episode.

Perhaps the most pressing part of the TV-MA rating is the violence. In the first episode alone, there is enough violence to either turn off potential viewers or have others on the edge of their seats. Early on, there's a scene featuring a male character getting shot then being mauled by a pack of dingoes, though that happens mostly offscreen and out of view.

The violence picks up in intensity unexpectedly in each episode. There are shocking instances of torture in some scenes, with characters being either tied up, whipped, shot, lit on fire, or cut. The series includes a fight in prison, a character being stabbed by a bull's horn, a character falling from a cliff, and other characters being shot in the head. There's a fair amount of blood and wounds shown in closeup shots. Proceed with caution!

The bottom line: Territory contains pronounced instances of gun violence, physical violence, and other forms of violence that could potentially be frightening or triggering to some viewers. However, aside from a man shown stomping on cows offscreen (which isn't really happening in reality), there is no violence against animals featured in the series.

Smoking and drugs

Even though some might not even notice given all the drama going on, many characters smoke and drink a decent amount. One character in particular abuses alcohol and carries around a flask. Various characters are shown getting drunk. As for drugs, there's a scene in which a character is given ketamine as a medication after sustaining injuries in an accident.

Content and trigger warnings

As cautioned in the opening disclaimer, which warns Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers, "the series may contain images and voices of deceased persons." The series features a scene in a cave where skulls and bones are found. There's also a scene that depicts an explosion on protected lands. These scenes and others can be potentially triggering.

If you have a fear of alligators or crocodiles, there are multiple scenes that feature close-ups on crocodiles. Likewise, if violence and blood make you queasy, either look away when these scenes occur or think twice about watching. Certain themes in the series, including addiction, abuse, grief, and trauma could also be triggering to some viewers.

Watch Territory only on Netflix.