CHAOS TV Review | Common Sense Media

Skip to main content

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Language: English English Español (próximamente) - volver al inicio

• Movies
  • Movie Reviews and Lists
    • Movie Reviews
    • Best Movie Lists
    • Common Sense Selections for Movies
  • Marketing Campaign
    • 

      50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

  • The Common Sense Seal
    • 

      Common Sense Selections for Movies

• TV
  • TV Reviews and Lists
    • TV Reviews
    • Best TV Lists
    • Common Sense Selections for TV
    • Video Reviews of TV Shows
  • Marketing Campaign
    • 

      Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

  • Marketing Campaign
    • 

      Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Books
  • Book Reviews and Lists
    • Book Reviews
    • Best Book Lists
    • Common Sense Selections for Books
  • Article About Books
    • 

      8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

  • Marketing Campaign for Books
    • 

      50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Gaming
  • App Reviews and Lists
    • Fortnite
    • Minecraft
    • Roblox
    • All Game Reviews
• Social Media
  • Podcast Reviews and Lists
    • Social Media
    • Snapchat
    • Instagram
    • TikTok
• Parents' Guides
  • By Age & Stage
    • Preschoolers (2-4)
    • Little Kids (5-7)
    • Big Kids (7-9)
    • Tweens (10-12)
    • Teens (13-15)
  • By Topic
    • Digital Parenting Anxiety
    • First Phones
    • Social Media
    • Parental Controls
    • AI Companions
    • Generative AI
  • What's New
    • 

      Parents' Ultimate Guide: How to Set Parent Controls on Roblox

    • All Parents' Ultimate Guides
• Tips & FAQs
  • Column 1
    • Family Tech Planners
    • Digital Skills
    • All Articles
• Celebrating Community
  • Menu for Latino Content
    • Latino Culture
    • Black Voices
    • Asian Stories
    • Native Narratives
    • LGBTQ+ Pride
    • Jewish Experiences
    • Best of Diverse Representation List
  • FACE English Column 2
    • 

      Multicultural Books

  • FACE English Column 3
    • 

      YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

  • FACE English Column 4
    • 

      Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

• Donate

Parents' Guide to

CHAOS TV CBS Comedy 2011

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 0 Reviews
• Kids Say 0 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

By Kari Croop , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Moderate violence in action-driven spy spoof.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this offbeat comedy concerns a ragtag group of CIA agents who pull dangerous missions all over the world and regularly carry weapons to defend themselves, which means that mid-level violence is a regular part of the plot. That said, the overall tone is decidedly light, and there's minimal (if…

Why Age 14+? Language

Rare use of words like "damn" and "hell" and off-color insul

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Light sexual innuendo, with the potential for interoffice romances. Some passion

Violence & Scariness

Overall, the tone is comedic rather than violent. But the main characters do car

Products & Purchases

A few brand names are mentioned, including Windows and IBM.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Minimal social drinking.

Any Positive Content? Positive Role Models

Rick Martinez is an everyman most viewers can identify with, and he takes his re

Positive Messages

The show makes light of a dangerous world and mines gags from the perceived inef

• Parents Need to Know

  Parents need to know that this offbeat comedy concerns a ragtag group of CIA agents who pull dangerous missions all over the world and regularly carry weapons to defend themselves, which means that mid-level violence is a regular part of the plot. That said, the overall tone is decidedly light, and there's minimal (if any) blood. In terms of language, characters occasionally use gateway words like "hell" or "damn," or sling iffy insults like "jerk-ass." There's also subtle sexual innuendo between male and female characters with potential for interoffice romance.

• Language

  a little

  Rare use of words like "damn" and "hell" and off-color insults like "jerk-ass."

  Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

  Get started Close

• Sex, Romance & Nudity

  a little

  Light sexual innuendo, with the potential for interoffice romances. Some passionate kissing, but it's rare.

  Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

  Get started Close

• Violence & Scariness

  a little

  Overall, the tone is comedic rather than violent. But the main characters do carry weapons and use them to take out enemies of the state. There's light to medium combat and minimal blood.

  Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

  Get started Close

• Products & Purchases

  very little

  A few brand names are mentioned, including Windows and IBM.

• Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

  very little

  Minimal social drinking.

  Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

  Get started Close

• Positive Role Models

  a little

  Rick Martinez is an everyman most viewers can identify with, and he takes his responsibilities seriously, balancing an innate sense of duty with his own moral code. The agents he works with are honorable, too, but they often skirt the rules and play mind games with management in pursuit of the greater good.

• Positive Messages

  very little

  The show makes light of a dangerous world and mines gags from the perceived inefficiency of government-run agencies, and the main characters tend to distrust authority. But on the plus side, they put a lot of trust in each other, relying on teamwork to protect the country.

Where to Watch

Videos and Photos

• CHAOS

CHAOS

Parent and Kid Reviews

See all

• Parents Say
• Kids Say

What's the Story?

When aspiring spy Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez) reports for his first day of work at the CIA, he's unexpectedly re-assigned to the agency's Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services team -- otherwise known as CHAOS -- where he'll function as a mole to report any funny business. But when Rick's new co-workers (Eric Close, James Murray, and Tim Blake Nelson) uncover the ruse, they leverage his skills for their own gain in a series of rogue operations.

Show more

Is It Any Good?

Our review: Parents say : Not yet rated Kids say: Not yet rated

With its everyman protagonist and exotic locations, Chaos is bound to draw comparisons to the quirky spy comedy Chuck. And, like Chuck, it's refreshingly kid-friendly for teens who like their action with a side of laughs. But while the show doesn't quite hit all of the right notes, the core members of the CHAOS team have promising chemistry.

Maybe the real question though, amid seriously real global instability, is: Are we in the mood to laugh at ourselves?

Show more

Talk to Your Kids About ...

• Families can talk about the show's tone and its lighthearted take on keeping the world safe. Would the show be more or less enjoyable if the tone were entirely serious? Does the show paint the world as more or less of a dangerous place than it actually is?

• How does the level of violence on this show compare with similar spy series on TV?

• How do these agents compare to other spies you've seen on TV and in the movies? Why do so many movies and TV shows about espionage tend to glamorize the job?

Show more

TV Details

• Premiere date : April 1, 2011
• Cast : Freddy Rodriguez , James Murray , Tim Blake Nelson
• Network : CBS
• Genre : Comedy
• TV rating : TV-PG
• Last updated : September 20, 2019

Show more

Did we miss something on diversity?

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.

CHAOS

Suggest an Update

Your privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our privacy policy .

What to Watch Next

See all

Best Action Movies

See all

Spy Movies for Kids

See all recommended tv lists

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.

See how we rate