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Series · Drama, History, Comedy · 2018 · TV-MA

A Very English Scandal: parents' guide

16+our pick

Best for ages 16 and up. Rated TV-MA.

A sharp, darkly comic British miniseries for older teens and adults about the true 1960s and '70s scandal in which Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe was tried for plotting to murder his former lover, Norman Scott. Its three episodes deal frankly with sex between men at a time it was illegal, including a sex scene without nudity, detailed courtroom talk about sex acts, and brief sexual violence noted in the final episode. Expect some f-words, heavy drinking, a character dependent on pills and alcohol, and the on-screen shooting of a dog. The frank sexual content and themes suit 16 and up.

What's in it

Violence

Strong

A hired gunman shoots Scott's Great Dane dead on a lonely moorland road, then points the gun at Scott. UK classifiers flag brief sexual violence in the final episode, and murder methods are discussed casually.

Language

Moderate

Some f-words and s-words, plus 'bitch' and other insults. Strong words come up occasionally rather than constantly, mostly in moments of anger.

Sex and nudity

Moderate

Thorpe and Scott's first night together is shown without nudity, and a man and woman have sex under a blanket. The trial includes detailed spoken descriptions of anal sex, and men joke about sleeping with secretaries.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

Strong

Adults drink wine and smoke throughout. Scott is portrayed as dependent on alcohol and prescription depressants, which feeds his instability and his unraveling.

Scary or intense scenes

Moderate

More tense than scary. The nighttime roadside shooting of the dog and the attempt on Scott's life are upsetting, and Scott's emotional breakdowns can be uncomfortable to watch.

Sensitive topics

  • Sexual assault
  • Animal death
  • Addiction

Worth talking about

Being gay was a crime in England when this story begins. How did that law shape the choices Thorpe and Scott made, and what has changed since then?

Where to stream →

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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, bbfc.co.uk, Wikipedia, Rotten Tomatoes, justwatch.com. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.