Series · Comedy · 2014 · TV-14

Detectorists: parents' guide

13+our pick

Best for ages 13 and up. Rated TV-14.

A quiet, gently funny British comedy about two friends who spend their free time metal detecting in the English countryside, best for teens and adults who enjoy slow pacing. Little happens beyond friendship, relationship ups and downs and the hope of finding buried treasure. There are no sex scenes and almost no violence, but the dialogue includes occasional f-words and s-words, with stronger language in one first-series episode, life revolves around the pub, and one character gets very drunk. Age 13 reflects the swearing and adult relationship talk; younger kids would likely be bored anyway.

What's in it

Violence

Mild

Practically none. Characters discuss a suspected murder, and a club member is hurt off screen when he strikes an unexploded wartime bomb.

Language

Moderate

Occasional f-words and s-words, plus 'bastard,' 'prick,' 'wanker,' 't-ts' and British slang. The BBFC flagged series one for very strong language, usually a sign of the c-word, and Sky marks one episode, 'Dirty Smears,' that way.

Sex and nudity

Mild

Dating and relationship trouble come up often, with mild innuendo such as a man glancing down his girlfriend's shirt and a joke about a nude calendar. No sex scenes, though the BBFC notes brief mild sexualized nudity in one series-three episode.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

Moderate

The pub is the friends' second home and characters drink beer regularly. One character gets very drunk; otherwise drinking stays social and no drug use was reported.

Scary or intense scenes

None

Nothing scary. The tension comes from money worries, a manipulative ex, a long-estranged daughter and strained friendships.

Worth talking about

Andy and Lance care more about the search than about what they find. What hobbies are worth doing even if they never pay off?

Where to stream →

On our lists

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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Wikipedia, bbfc.co.uk, 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.