Let's be specific about what "TV-MA" means here:

Sexual Content: Multiple explicit sex scenes with full nudity (both male and female). We're not talking tasteful fade-to-black moments—these are extended, graphic scenes that serve more to titillate than educate. The series leans heavily into the "sex" part of its title.

Violence: Beheadings (including Anne Boleyn's execution), torture scenes, and bloody medieval combat. The violence is historically accurate but viscerally depicted. The execution scene in particular is brutal and lingers on the moment.

Language: Frequent strong profanity throughout. The modern historians use contemporary language, and the dramatic portions don't shy away from f-bombs and other explicit language.

Mature Themes: Discussions of miscarriage, infidelity, political manipulation, religious persecution, and the systematic destruction of a woman's reputation. The emotional content is heavy even without the explicit visuals.

"It's for my history class" is the number one excuse you'll hear. And look, there is legitimate historical content here—the historians featured are actual Tudor scholars, and the broad strokes of the story are accurate.

But let's be real: teens want to watch it because it's scandalous, it's on Netflix, and it has "sex" literally in the title. The algorithm is serving it up to them alongside Bridgerton and other popular period dramas.

The difference? Bridgerton is fiction with romance novel sensibilities. Blood, Sex & Royalty presents itself as educational documentary content, which gives teens a built-in justification for watching something that's essentially softcore historical pornography.

Ages 13-15: Hard no. The sexual content alone puts this firmly in the "absolutely not" category for middle schoolers. Even mature 15-year-olds who can handle complex themes aren't ready for the explicit nature of this series.

Ages 16-17: Maybe, with significant caveats. If your teen is genuinely interested in Tudor history (not just trying to watch something racy), you could consider watching it together and using it as a jumping-off point for discussions about how history is portrayed in media. But honestly? There are better options for learning about this period.

Ages 18+: At this point, it's their call. Though you might still want to mention that it's not exactly a balanced historical source.

If your teen is actually interested in the Tudors (and some genuinely are—it's fascinating history), here are better starting points:

For High Schoolers: The Tudors (TV-MA but less explicitly graphic), the book Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (brilliant historical fiction), or even Six: The Musical (yes, really—it's a fun, age-appropriate entry point).

For Middle Schoolers: The Horrible Histories series covers the Tudors with humor and accuracy without the explicit content. Or try The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory, which is YA historical fiction set in this period.

For Documentary Fans: Lucy Worsley's BBC documentaries on the Tudors are informative, engaging, and don't require a TV-MA rating to be interesting. Search for her work on streaming platforms or YouTube.

Here's the thing about docudramas: they're neither pure documentary nor pure drama, which means they can play fast and loose with both historical accuracy and educational value while claiming the legitimacy of both.

Blood, Sex & Royalty does feature real historians and covers real events, but the dramatic portions take significant liberties. The series also has a clear point of view—positioning Anne Boleyn as a feminist icon destroyed by patriarchal power structures. That's a valid interpretation, but it's not the only scholarly perspective on her story.

If your teen watches this (or if you're trying to explain why they can't), it's worth discussing how media shapes historical narratives. Ask them to think critically about what the filmmakers chose to include, emphasize, or dramatize.

If your teen is pushing back on your "no" (or if you're allowing an older teen to watch), here are the talking points:

On the sexual content: "This show includes explicit adult content that's meant for adult audiences. It's not about whether you're 'mature enough'—it's about whether this is how you want to learn about history. The sex scenes are there for shock value, not education."

On the historical angle: "If you're genuinely interested in Tudor history, I'm 100% on board with helping you explore that. Let's find sources that are either more accurate or more age-appropriate. We can watch The Crown together, or I'll get you the Hilary Mantel books."

On the "everyone's watching it" argument: "I don't think everyone is watching it, but even if they are, that doesn't change the rating or the content. Different families make different choices, and this is ours."

Let's acknowledge reality: if your teen really wants to watch this, they probably can find a way. A friend's house, their phone when you're not around, whatever.

If you discover they've watched it, resist the urge to come down with immediate consequences. Instead, use it as an opportunity:

This approach maintains your relationship while still making your values clear.

Some families with older teens (17+) might choose to watch this together as a way to maintain open dialogue about mature content. If that's your approach:

Personally? I think there are better shows to co-view with teens that will generate equally rich conversations without quite so much explicit content. But every family is different.

Blood, Sex & Royalty is adult content dressed up in educational clothing. The TV-MA rating is accurate and should be respected. If your teen is interested in Tudor history, that's fantastic—there are dozens of better, more appropriate ways to explore this fascinating period.

The series isn't "bad" in the sense of being poorly made or historically worthless, but it's explicitly designed for adult audiences and should be treated as such. Your 14-year-old doesn't need to see graphic sex scenes to understand why Henry VIII's break from Rome mattered.

Trust your instincts, hold your boundaries, and remember that "no" doesn't make you the fun police—it makes you a parent who understands that not all content is appropriate for all ages, regardless of the educational wrapper it comes in.

If you're dealing with pushback: Learn how to have conversations about mature content ratings with teens who think they're "just guidelines."

If they're genuinely interested in history: Check out our guide to historical content for teens that's both engaging and age-appropriate.

If you need alternatives: Browse period dramas appropriate for high schoolers that won't require you to cover your eyes every ten minutes.