LES MISERABLES (2019): Episode 1

Name: LES MISERABLES (2019): Episode 1
Item: LES MISERABLES (2019): Episode 1
Author: Tess Farrand

Season 1 Episode 1

Family Content: -1 Caution advised for older children, including teenagers, and sensitive adults.

Entertainment Quality:

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

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Content:

(CCC, BBB, V, S, N, A, D, M):
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:
Very strong Christian, moral worldview with the depiction of a church service, the crucifix, and a bishop evangelizing a man, references to God, hospitality, kindness, love, and peace, and an emphasis on redemption;
Foul Language:
No foul language;
Violence:
Mild violence with a field of wounded and dead bodies depicted, plus a man is shot by a firing squad;
Sex:
Mild sexuality with several instances of sexual innuendo, several unmarried couples kiss, and it’s implied that they are sexual partners, a couple is shown in bed together, and sex is implied, and a woman has a child out of wedlock;
Nudity:
Man shown nude from behind, several men are shown shirtless, woman’s bare back is shown;
Alcohol Use:
People shown drinking wine at a party and wine is served at several meals;
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:
Man smokes a cigar; and,
Miscellaneous Immorality:
Stealing, lying, some displays of anger.

Episodes: Season Overview

Number	Date	Title	Content
1.1	4/14/2019	Episode 1	-1
1.2	4/21/2019	Episode 2	-1
1.3	4/28/2019	Episode 3	-1
1.4	5/5/2019	Episode 4	-2
1.5	5/12/2019	Episode 5	-1
1.6	5/19/2019	Episode 6	-2

More Detail:

In the 2019 PBS adaption of Victor Hugo’s classic novel, LES MISERABLES, France is in the throes of unrest during the post-Napoleonic era and injustice and disparity between the upper and lower classes are rampant. A criminal by the name of Jean Valjean serves a nineteen-year sentence of hard labor for stealing a loaf of bread for his sister. Even after his release, his yellow passport, which denounces him as an ex-convict, leads employers to cheat him and causes everyone but a kindly priest to turn him away. An innocent girl, Fantine, is lured by an aristocratic gentleman to believe he loves her, but after their summer together ends, he “surprises” her by disappearing, leaving her with a baby girl born out of wedlock.

The first episode of LES MISERABLES focuses on the juxtapositions of injustice and kindness, innocence and deception, condemnation and redemption. Young Fantine’s innocence tugs on the heartstrings and the cruelty faced by Jean Valjean inspires deep empathy. The episode does an excellent job of placing Hugo’s intended Christian/biblical themes at the forefront and beautifully portrays the power of redemption. While the quality and message of the first episode of LES MISERABLES are excellent, the content is mature in nature and warrants caution for older children.

Watch LES MISERABLES (2019): Episode 1 →

Quality:

- Content: -1