Is Adam-12 appropriate for children?

# Adam-12 Parent Guide Adam-12 follows two Los Angeles police officers responding to various crimes and emergencies throughout the city. While it contains strong violence typical of police dramas and has no profanity or sexual content, the frequent depictions of criminal activity and violent confrontations make it better suited for older children and teenagers rather than younger viewers.

What age is Adam-12 suitable for?

Our verdict for Adam-12 is: Not recommended. See the age grid on this page for specific recommendations by age group.

Is Adam-12 safe for children? | ScreenWise Parent Guide

Content breakdown

🔫

Violence

Strong

🗣️

Language / Profanity

None

🔞

Sexual Content

None

👻

Horror / Scary

None

About this TV show

Type

TV Show

Released

1968

Rating

TV-PG

Genre

Crime, Drama

Synopsis

Adam-12 is a television police drama that followed two police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, as they patrolled the streets of Los Angeles in their patrol unit, 1-Adam-12.

Cast

Martin Milner

Officer Pete Malloy

Kent McCord

Officer Jim Reed

William Boyett

Sergeant MacDonald

Full cast on IMDb ›

Stimulus level

Low stimulus

A 1960s live-action police drama with natural pacing and dialogue-driven scenes, though the crime/drama content makes it unsuitable for infants and toddlers regardless of stimulus level.

Stimulus rating reflects pacing, visual complexity, and sensory intensity — factors associated with attention development in children under 3. Learn more

Age suitability

Under 6

Not yet

Ages 6–8

Not recommended

Ages 9–12

Not recommended

Ages 13+

Not recommended

Where to watch

🎬 Find on Amazon

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Parents also checked

Ratings based on MPAA/TV classification and TMDB metadata. Updated March 2026.
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