Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Where to Watch

Loading streaming options...

Screenwise Verdict

Look, the premise is fascinating—what if teenage girls suddenly had the biological ability to electrocute people? It's a brilliant thought experiment about power and gender. But here's the thing: this show goes DARK. We're talking graphic violence, sexual assault, torture, and a relentlessly bleak tone that makes The Handmaid's Tale look cheerful.

The 6.2/10 rating tells you something—the execution doesn't quite match the ambition. It's based on a prize-winning novel, so the ideas are there, but the show can be uneven, occasionally exploitative, and honestly just hard to watch. If you're interested in the themes, you might be better off reading the book, which lets you control the pacing and visualizations.

For parents: this is absolutely not for kids or teens, full stop. Even mature 17-year-olds might find it triggering. If you're an adult interested in speculative fiction that grapples with gender and power dynamics, it might be worth a watch—but go in knowing it's going to be brutal.

Age Fit

This is strictly 18+ content. The graphic violence, sexual content, and deeply disturbing themes require adult emotional maturity. Not appropriate for teens despite the teenage protagonists.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

35

The premise centers on teenage girls gaining the ability to electrocute people, which leads to violence, power corruption, and societal upheaval. While it explores gender dynamics, the tone is dark and often brutal, with characters using their powers to harm others. Not emotionally healthy viewing for younger audiences, and the pacing can be relentlessly grim.

Imaginative

72

The core concept—a biological twist that gives teenage girls electrical powers and flips global power dynamics—is genuinely original and thought-provoking. It takes a speculative 'what if' and follows it to logical, disturbing conclusions across multiple continents and cultures. The world-building invites viewers to think critically about power structures and gender.

Safe

25

Contains significant violence (electrocution, assault), mature themes including sexual assault, torture, and death. Characters are killed on-screen, often brutally. There's sexual content, nudity, and deeply disturbing scenarios involving abuse of power. This is definitively adult content with multiple trigger warnings—absolutely not safe for unexpected viewing by children or teens.

Enriching

68

Offers substantive commentary on gender, power, corruption, and systemic oppression. Raises important questions about what happens when the oppressed gain power—do they liberate or replicate oppression? The global scope and diverse characters provide multiple perspectives. However, the relentlessly dark tone and graphic content limit its accessibility as a teaching tool.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely original premise that sparks big conversations about power, gender, and corruption
Global scope with diverse characters from London to Nigeria shows multiple cultural perspectives
Raises uncomfortable questions: if the oppressed gain power, do they become oppressors?
Based on Naomi Alderman's acclaimed novel, which won the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction

⚠

What to Watch For

Graphic violence including electrocution, torture, and on-screen deaths
Sexual assault, nudity, and mature sexual content throughout
Relentlessly dark tone—this isn't a fun superhero romp, it's dystopian and disturbing
Mixed reviews (6.2/10 on TMDB) suggest uneven execution despite interesting concept
May be triggering for viewers with trauma related to assault or abuse of power

Conversation Starters

"If one group suddenly had physical power over everyone else, what do you think would happen?"
"Does the show suggest that power itself corrupts, or that humans are inherently corruptible?"
"How do the different countries and cultures respond to this change? What does that say about existing power structures?"
"Is violence ever justified when fighting oppression? Where's the line?"

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic

Writing about The Power? Put this WISE score on your site