Teenage Bounty Hunters
Teenage Bounty Hunters is a Netflix original comedy-drama series following fraternal twin sisters Sterling and Blair Wesley, who accidentally fall into the world of bounty hunting while navigating the complexities of their elite evangelical Christian high school in Atlanta. The show blends action sequences with coming-of-age themes, exploring self-discovery, sexuality, and family secrets. It caters to a young adult audience interested in quirky humor, intricate plot twists, and progressive takes on societal norms. The series is notable for its sharp dialogue and its depiction of modern teenage life contrasting with a conservative Southern upbringing.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe series features prominent LGBTQ+ representation and themes. One of the main twin protagonists, Sterling Wesley, explores her bisexuality, and her primary romantic relationship is with April Stevens, a lesbian character who is confident in her sexual orientation but fears societal backlash within her conservative Christian community. The show also includes a gay male character, Ezekiel.
Sterling Wesley is identified as bisexual and develops a romantic relationship with her school rival, April Stevens, who is a lesbian. April, despite her faith, explicitly states, 'In case you're wondering, no, I do not believe God is going to smite me for being a lesbian. He made me, along with narwals and those tiny blue poison frogs. So clearly he has a master plan.'. Additionally, the show features Ezekiel, a Black, disabled, and openly gay male character who exhibits 'camp speech patterns and mannerisms'.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighThe series contains explicit sexual content, including nudity, depictions of sexual acts, and detailed discussions of various sexual topics. Underage sexual activity and themes of prostitution are also present.
The show includes 'nudity in the strip club and a few explicit sex scenes' and 'deals with prostitution, same-sex relationships and underage sex (all seen on-screen)'. Sterling initiates sex with her boyfriend Luke in a car as their 'first time' in the very first scene of the series. Sterling also experiences and discusses female masturbation, with her internal thoughts focusing on April.
Profanity
HighStrong language is frequently used throughout the series, including highly offensive terms. Misuse of religious names is also noted.
The show includes 'multiple uses of the f-word and s-word, as well as a use of the c-word.' Other expletives heard include 'a–,' 'b–ch,' 'd–mit,' 'd–n,' 'd–k,' 'h—,' 'slut,' 'tramp,' and 'whore.' Additionally, there are 'multiple misuses of God's and Jesus' names'. Sterling, who initially uses 'Gosh Dang It to Heck!', eventually uses stronger language like 'Cut the crap' towards her parents in the season finale.
Disrespect & Rebellion
HighDisrespect and rebellion are central themes, as the main characters, Sterling and Blair, secretly engage in bounty hunting activities behind their parents' backs and challenge the conservative norms of their Christian school and community.
The entire premise involves the twin sisters, Blair and Sterling, secretly moonlighting as bounty hunters, a significant act of rebellion against their parents' knowledge and their 'buttoned-up Southern community'. Blair is explicitly characterized as 'the rock star rebel who loved to scandalize'. Another instance of disrespect includes a character stating she 'urinated in someone's pool'.
Anti-Christian Themes
HighThe series is set in an evangelical Christian high school and explicitly challenges and satirizes conservative Christian perspectives, particularly regarding sexuality. It redefines what it means to be a 'good Christian girl' and portrays Christian characters who embrace LGBTQ+ identities.
The show 'seeks to redefine the antiquated ideas around what it means to be a 'good Christian girl''. A significant example is April, a devout Christian and leader of her Fellowship group, who is also a lesbian and states she does not believe 'God is going to smite me for being a lesbian. He made me… So clearly he has a master plan'. The series also portrays instances where religion is used manipulatively, such as reciting the Bible 'to pressure someone into believing it is right' before a romantic encounter.
Violence
MediumThe show contains frequent depictions of violence, though it is often presented in a light, comedic tone rather than being overtly graphic or gory. Characters are shown being shot and beaten, and weapons are regularly used in the bounty hunting context.
Blair and Sterling frequently use violence in their bounty hunting activities; for example, they beat up a man and knock him unconscious using a gun. In one scene, Sterling shoots out several tires on a moving car while her sister Blair is clinging to it, demonstrating a willingness to use firearms in dangerous situations.
Substance Use
MediumCharacters are depicted engaging in casual substance use, specifically smoking and drinking alcohol, in social settings.
In several scenes, characters are shown smoking and drinking alcohol at a country club and at a private pool. These instances are presented as part of the social environment the characters navigate.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe show contains suspenseful and intense situations arising from the bounty hunting plotline and familial mysteries, but generally avoids graphic horror or overly frightening imagery. The tone remains largely comedic.
While the show is not particularly gory, characters are frequently involved in situations where they are shot at or beaten up, creating intense moments. An early scene involves what appears to be a 'decapitated Confederate statue,' which is revealed to be a 'Bait-and-Switch' played for comedic effect, suggesting that serious threats are often lightened by the show's humorous tone.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThe series makes references to occult themes, but these are notably subverted or presented in a non-traditional way. The show portrays a 'Satanic Temple' group that is involved in altruistic charity work rather than typical satanic rituals.
The show avoids 'Hollywood Satanism' tropes, as Sterling discovers that the 'Satanic Temple' at her school is 'not involved in animal sacrifice or actual worship of Satan' but rather in 'altruistic charity work and community outreach'. The occult elements are present primarily to satirize preconceived notions rather than to depict genuine dark practices.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
TV-MA / Ages 17+. The series is rated TV-MA primarily due to explicit sexual content, including nudity and detailed discussions of sex, along with frequent strong language and mature themes such as underage sexual activity and prostitution. It also contains moderate violence.
Additional Notes
The series was canceled after one season, so any plotlines or character developments introduced in the first season, including the cliffhanger ending, remain unresolved.
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