Male torsos, brief backside male nudity. Teen girls in states of undress, no explicit body parts until a later episode in which breasts are exposed. Seductive dancing. Kissing. Flirting.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
An emphasis on luxury and elegance. Though no name brands are mentioned, teens will recognize car brands and maybe sunglass and clothing brands worn by the characters in this show.
Positive Messages
some
Unchain yourself from other people's ideas of you. Be honest. Try your hardest. Show courage when you are challenged. Respect yourself. Love your family. Work hard. Don't give up. Have goals for yourself and work toward them. Don't let bullies get the best of you. Have integrity in everything that you do. What you do with adversity is a test of character.
Educational Value
a little
Boarding school is the setting for this show. Jibs and jabs fired across class lines are available for viewers to learn what to do—or not do—when confronted by a bully playing a long game. Students discuss philosophers like Kant in class.
Positive Role Models
a little
The lacrosse coach sticks to his principles even when he's bullied by a privileged kid. Parents set boundaries with their kids. There's joy in households when families cook and eat together.
Diverse Representations
a little
Some diversity among students and teachers includes an Asian student who's the main character's best friend, and a teacher of Arabic background. The father of a main character is in a wheelchair. Most characters are White.
Parents need to know that Maxton Hall: The World Between Us is a romance set in a posh boarding school in Europe. Based on the novel Save Me by German author Mona Kasten, this German-produced show (available dubbed and subtitled) boasts drinking among older teens. Expect to see sexy encounters, with lots of male torsos and a flash of bums; in a later episode a female character bares her breasts. A young teacher is seen kissing a student. The posh kids ride in the most luxurious cars and wear stunning clothes, whereas the down-to-earth characters live in row houses and work for spending money. Language is moderately frequent, including: "f--k," "s--t," "damn," "bitch," "ass," and "hell." Characters show good examples of self-control, courage, and integrity.
Loved the plot and the characters. Great writing. There was depth, love pain and triumph.
What's the Story?
Ruby Bell (Harriet Herbig-Matten) rubs shoulders with the wealthiest and most powerful kids on the planet in MAXTON HALL: THE WORLD BETWEEN US. She knows she hasn't had the opportunities that the kids at her school have been given, which makes her more determined to get through school unscathed so that she can advance to her dream university. But she accidentally ruffles feathers when she witnesses something she's not supposed to see. Suddenly, she's fighting to stay afloat in a world where the powerful play games with people like Ruby. Will she find a way to advance to her goal? Or will she be halted by those who want to stop her?
A Cinderella story with a prince not-so-charming, here's a seductive show teens will want to binge. Set in a German castle posing as a boarding school, Maxton Hall: The World Between Us does class war in the Harry Potter fashion, but the posh kids in this show are gorgeous, and they have all the right stuff. Don't underestimate the grit of the girl without backing—she's got moxie and character to boot.
Language, sexy posing, and alcohol consumption will make some parents cringe, but there's a backbone behind this story. A fun binge for older teens.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the courage it takes for a less advantaged character to stand up to someone who has been given everything. What would happen if the powerful were never challenged?
A character does not back down when she's bullied. How does standing up for yourself give you integrity?
Some characters in this show lie and cheat with abandon in the name of advancement. Others play by the rules. Does having self-control help in the long run?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
