Is Designated Survivor scary?

Only a little. Designated Survivor has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.

How gory is Designated Survivor?

No gore and some violence. Squeamish viewers are fine here.

What is Designated Survivor rated, and is it OK for kids?

Better for teens than younger kids: it is rated TV-14, with some strong language.

Designated Survivor (2016)

Series · Rated TV-14

Drama, War

A sudden presidency thrusts a cabinet member into a gritty, suspenseful fight for the nation's survival.

Intimate and earnest. A full-attention watch at a measured pace. Emotionally it is heavy.

Streaming on Netflix.

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Designated Survivor parents guide

Nothing past what a TV-14 promises: some innuendo or implied sex and some strong language.

Our estimate: fine from about 13. Rated TV-14.

Scare: Mildly scary; A few tense or eerie moments.
Jump scares: A couple; One or two sudden jolts.
Gore: No gore
Violence: Some violence; Some fighting or peril.
Sex and nudity: Mild; Mild means innuendo, or sex implied off screen, with no nudity.
Language: Moderate; Some strong profanity, a few f-words.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is Designated Survivor scary?: Only a little. Designated Survivor has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.
How gory is Designated Survivor?: No gore and some violence. Squeamish viewers are fine here.
What is Designated Survivor rated, and is it OK for kids?: Better for teens than younger kids: it is rated TV-14, with some strong language.

What is Designated Survivor about?

Tom Kirkman, a low-level cabinet member is suddenly appointed President of the United States after a catastrophic attack during the State of the Union kills everyone above him in the Presidential line of succession.