In the endless ocean of teen dramas, it can be hard to know which series are actually directed at teens, and which ones are simply about teens. While shows like Riverdale and Euphoria may masquerade as teen appropriate dramas, Cruel Summer is definitely one you can throw on when there are teens around. The show is rated TV-14 in the U.S., likely due to the dark premise the entire mystery rests on. The series tackles heavy topics beautifully —season one focuses on grooming — and never indulges in the trauma while it explores the idea that there are two sides to every story.

Cruel Summer presents its material in incredibly nuanced ways. Taking place in the ‘90s, the series revolves around budding high schoolers and the multitude of social morays and problems that young adults face no matter the decade. Despite its heavy subject matter, Cruel Summer never relies on the nitty gritty to pursue an engaging story. Adults and older teens will doubtless pick up on the subtle implications Cruel Summer employs to address the darker aspects of child grooming, but it’s discreet enough that younger kids will have to ask a few questions to understand the gravity of the situation. With such an important topic, it’s easy to see why the showrunners wanted to leave space for parents to continue the conversations.

The series may dramatize some teenage moments, but for the most part, the mild language, alcohol consumption, and marijuana use aren’t glorified and rather simply serve a storytelling purpose. For viewers who are more sensitive to violence, there are several scenes with minor amounts of blood, but Cruel Summer doesn’t indulge in gore. IMDB’s parent’s guide has a full list of the moments that could be considered problematic, but it could be argued that the conversation Cruel Summer’s main story presents is well worth the minor exposure to depiction of illegal substances.

Season two is well on its way to solidifying itself as a head scratching mystery, though it hosts an older cast and deals with an entirely different set of problems. The series’ showrunners have promised to continue exploring the tribulations of teenagerhood in as nuanced of a light as possible, so it’s safe to say that they will maintain their TV-14 rating going forward.

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