If you’re with the family and about to sit down to watch a new show on Netflix or Hulu, and you see “TV MA” pop up, you might be wondering what it means.
Broadcast and cable television networks and program producers provide the public with different TV ratings that address how age-appropriate their content is. The ratings are meant to help parents decide which shows they should let their kids watch.
Contents show
TV MA meaning
TV MA means for “Mature Audience Only”. The show is intended for adults, and is likely unsuitable for children under the age of 17. There may be bad language, explicit sexual activity and/or graphic violence. Game of Thrones is a popular example of a TV MA rated show.
A TV MA rated show is basically the equivalent of an R rated movie, but usually worse.
TV Parental Guideline ratings
It’s no secret that the content we Americans consume has gotten increasingly sexual and violent in nature over recent years.
I challenge you to find a single show on the air today that isn’t sexualized or violent in some way.
Well parents started to get increasingly concerned about this trend, so back in 1996 the US Congress proposed that the television industry start assigning ratings to their shows. This would give parents some sense of the type of content their children were watching.
About 10 days after the proposal, in 1997, the voluntary TV Parental Guideline ratings went into effect.
Shows began presenting a rating to the viewer before the programming began, alerting them that the content they are about to consume is one of the following:
TV-Y
Meant to be suitable for all children. Designed for a very young audience.
TV-Y7 FV
Meant for children age 7 and older. May be more appropriate for children who have acquired the developmental skills needed to distinguish between make-believe and reality.
“FV” label means the show contains more “fantasy violence”. These shows are usually more intense or combative than shows with just the TV-Y7 rating.
TV-G
Meant to be suitable for all ages, although the content may be of little interest to children. These shows have little to no violence, mild language and little or no sexual dialogue or situations.
TV-PG
May have content that is inappropriate for children younger than 7. May include coarse language, some sexual content, some suggestive dialogue or moderate violence.
TV-14
Contains material that most parents would find unsuitable for children under the age of 14. Programs with this rating have intensely suggestive dialogue, strong coarse language, intense sexual situations or intense violence.
TV-MA
This content is meant to be viewed by adults only and is not suitable for children under the age of 17. Programs with this rating may include crude indecent language, explicit sexual activity, and graphic violence.
TV Parental Guideline content descriptors
As you can tell from reading each of the different TV ratings above, the ratings are really defined by a few main categories: sexual content, language, and violence.
The balance of each of these categories determines the final rating of the show. A show could have a lot of sexual dialogue and situations, but very little, or no violence, and still get a TV MA rating.
Or vice versa. There could be a ton of violence and no sex.
To help further describe the content, content descriptors were established that can be presented alongside the ratings above.
The content descriptors used are as follows:
- D – Sexual or suggestive dialogue
- L – Coarse or crude language
- S – Sexual situations
- V – Violence
Everyone’s parenting style is different, and these descriptors can help parents make tough choices based on their own beliefs. For example some parents may be OK with sexual or suggestive dialogue but not sexual situations.
In that case, seeing a “D” descriptor might be OK, but an “S” would make the show off limits.
Examples of popular TV MA shows
The TV MA rating is really just meant to alert you as the adult, that the show you’re about to watch has some content that is likely not all that suitable for an audience under the age of 17.
But in my opinion, there is fairly wide spectrum when it comes to TV MA rated shows.
For example, I think we can probably agree that there is a pretty big difference between Game Of Thrones and Ted Lasso. Yet they are both rated TV MA.
To give you a sense of the type of content that carries the TV MA rating, here is a list of some popular TV MA shows:
- Dexter
- Curb Your Enthusiasm
- Yellowstone
- The Witcher
- Game of Thrones
- Ted Lasso
- It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
- Peaky Blinders
- Grey’s Anatomy
- The Walking Dead
- Squid Game
- Breaking Bad
- The Sopranos
- Ozark
- Sex and the City
Something else to consider is that all of these shows get a single blanket rating for the whole series, but episode to episode content can vary greatly.
TV-MA vs R
At first glance, TV-MA and R ratings appear to be similar, if not the same. Just look at the language used to describe them:
- TV-MA: This content is meant to be viewed by adults only and is not suitable for children under the age of 17. Programs with this rating may include crude indecent language, explicit sexual activity, and graphic violence
- R: Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian. An R-rated motion picture may include adult themes, adult activity, hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements
But there are really two differences between TV-MA and R ratings:
- The first is that “R” is part a movie ratings system, whereas “TV-MA” is part of a separate TV/broadcasting rating system.
- The second difference between TV-MA and R ratings, and the really the KEY difference, is that TV-MA is the MOST restrictive TV/broadcasting rating, whereas R is only the second most restrictive movie rating.
In the movie rating system, the most restrictive rating is called “NC-17”. NC-17 means “no one 17 and under admitted“. Regardless of whether or not they have an Adult Guardian with them.
So a TV show rated TV-MA basically includes both R and NC-17 rated content! That’s why I said above that “a TV MA show is basically the equivalent of an R rated movie, but usually worse”.
How to prevent children from watching TV MA show
These days, every TV comes with parental controls. Exactly how you implement those controls will largely depend on your TV make and model.
You can simply YouTube, “Parental Controls Samsung TV”, for example, to get the exact steps. But here are links out to some popular TV brands and their parental control guidance:
- Samsung TV parental controls
- LG TV parental controls
- Vizio TV parental controls
- Sony TV parental controls
- TCL TV parental controls
Essentially there are three levels at which you can apply parental controls to prevent children from watching TV MA content:
- Cable/broadcasting
- Smart TV app store
- The app itself
Back in the day, before smart TVs came out, you really just had to worry about cable/broadcasting. Block TV-MA cable content, and you’re golden.
Nowadays smart TVs (and devices like Roku and Firestick) have hundreds of different apps that can be downloaded directly to the TV, and content can be streamed on-demand.
This means a lot more content, and a lot of new ways to view TV MA content. Luckily the new parental controls do a pretty good job accounting for this.
Most TVs allow you to lock down the app store, requiring a password to access certain (or all) apps, and you can even restrict the ability to download new apps.
And finally, you’ll likely want to restrict access WITHIN each app as well.
Take Netflix, for example. You can set parental controls for individual profiles. So if your son is 15 years old, and you don’t want him watching TV-MA content, set up his profile to block TV-MA content.
Conclusion
TV MA is a TV rating that means for “Mature Audiences” only. The content is intended for adults, and isn’t really suitable for children under the age of 17.
There will likely be bad language, explicit sexual activity and/or graphic violence.
TV MA is essentially the equivalent of an R rated movie, although TV MA can be “worse” than R in some cases.
Examples of TV MA shows include Game of Thrones and Ted Lasso.
If you’re considering using parental controls to block TV MA content, make sure you are putting restrictions at each of the following levels:
- Cable/broadcasting
- Smart TV app store
- The app itself
Hopefully you found this helpful! Let me know in the comments section below.
FAQs
What Does TV MA Mean? (TV-MA vs. R | What's the Difference)? ›
R is merely the second extreme rating for television, whereas TV-MA is the most extreme. TV-MA is worse than R because it contains both R and NC-17-rated material. R is OK for viewers under 17 as long as they're accompanied by an adult, but TV-MA is never appropriate for viewers under 18.
What is the difference between rated R and M? ›Rated G: Suggested for general audiences. Rated M: Suggested for mature audiences - Parental discretion advised. Rated R: Restricted – Persons under 16 not admitted, unless accompanied by parent or adult guardian.
Is Rated R good or bad? ›The R rating means that children under 17 years are not admitted to the theater without a parent. Movies may get an R rating for different reasons. This rating is given for nudity, profanity, or violence. Nudity, depending on the context, may be harmless.
What does TV R mean? ›R: Restricted, Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian.
What are the TV-MA ratings? ›TV-MA Mature Audience Only This program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17. This program contains one or more of the following: graphic violence (V), explicit sexual activity (S), or crude indecent language (L).
Is M rating higher than R? ›MPAA has five rating categories
The new ratings system began with four categories: G (general audiences), M (mature audiences, changed in 1969 to PG, parental guidance suggested), R (restricted, no children under 17 allowed without parents or adult guardians), and X (no one under 17 admitted).
Programming rated TV-MA in the United States by the TV Parental Guidelines signifies content for mature audiences. It corresponds to the MPA's R rating for movies, and the ESRB's M rating for video games. Programs with this rating are generally not suitable for people or individuals under 17 (some sources may say 18).
What is higher than rated R? ›The NC-17 rating is the highest rating (even higher than the R-rating) that a film can be given, and it means the movie is for adults only (ages 18 and older) and no one age 17 or younger will be admitted. This rating, prior to 1990, was previously rated X.
Is rated R or TV MA worse? ›R is merely the second extreme rating for television, whereas TV-MA is the most extreme. TV-MA is worse than R because it contains both R and NC-17-rated material. R is OK for viewers under 17 as long as they're accompanied by an adult, but TV-MA is never appropriate for viewers under 18.
What is rated R or 18+? ›Restricted (R 18+)
R 18+ material is restricted to adults as it contains content that is considered high in impact for viewers. This includes content that may be offensive to sections of the adult community.
What age group is TV-MA? ›
TV-MA - these programs are intended to be viewed by mature, adult audiences and may be unsuitable for children under 17.
What is TV-MA on Netflix? ›TV-MA is a rating allocated to a television program by the TV Parental Guidelines that was created only for mature audiences. With the help of this rating, the TVPG alerts viewers that the content of the show has graphic sexual activity, graphic violence, foul language, or any combination of these elements.
Is TV-14 higher than rated R? ›Many TV-14 rated shows contain depictions of nudity and/or violence that would most likely receive an R rating from the MPA.
Is TV-MA for adults? ›TV-MA. This program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17.
Is MA the highest TV rating? ›TV-MA is the strongest rating the industry gives, with the M standing for "mature." TV-MA is reserved for shows whose level of explicit sexuality, graphic violence and/or strong language -- along with mature themes -- make them unsuitable for children 16 or younger.
What is Apple TV-MA rating? ›The resource name for the mature audiences icon for the United States is tv-ma . Place a mature audiences rating icon next to content to indicate that the content is suitable to be watched by adults and may be unsuitable for children under 17.
What is the R-rating in the US? ›R: RESTRICTED. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. NC-17: NO ONE 17 AND UNDER ADMITTED.
What means G rated? ›adjective. Britannica Dictionary definition of G–RATED. US, of a movie. : having a rating of G : suitable to be seen by children : having no violence, offensive language, or sexual activity.
What are the 5 movie classification ratings? ›- GGeneral Audiences. All Ages Admitted. ...
- PGParental Guidance Suggested. Some Material May Not Be Suitable For Children. ...
- PG-13Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13. ...
- RRestricted. ...
- NC-17No one 17 and Under Admitted.
Parents need to know that The Old Man is a mature action-thriller series that has lots of violence. Guns and knives are used, and brutal, extended physical fights -- often leading to character deaths -- are shown in graphic detail.
What kind of rating is R? ›
An R-rated motion picture may include adult themes, adult activity, hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements, so that parents are counseled to take this rating very seriously.
Why is Outer Banks rated TV-MA? ›Besides some kissing and brief instances of sexual exploration that aren't graphic, there isn't much sexuality in the series. Rather the show has earned its TV-MA rating for strong language and intense violence. Murder is littered throughout the series.
Why do they call it rated R? ›Restricted: R - Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.
Is Rated R higher than PG 13? ›If violence is too rough or persistent, the film goes into the R (restricted) rating. A film's single use of one of the harsher sexually derived words, though only as an expletive, shall initially require the Rating Board to issue that film at least a PG-13 rating.
Is TV-MA worse than R on Disney plus? ›Now when you log into Disney+ and activate the parental control settings, you can flip to TV-MA, the highest setting. (TV-MA is the R-rating for TV and its highest maturity rating.
Why is the 100 rated MA? ›Parents need to know that The 100 has a lot of graphic violence and death, often at the hands of a group of teens who hash out power through beatings, torture, and weapon use.
What is NC 17 stand for? ›no children under 17. . If a movie has the label NC-17, no one aged 17 or under is allowed to see it in a movie theater in the US.
Can a 12 year old watch a rated R movie without a parent? ›For Rated R Features you must be 18 or older to purchase a single ticket for the feature. A parent or guardian, 21 or over, is required to accompany and remain in the feature with any underage individuals.
Can a 20 year old take a 13 year old to a rated R movie? ›R: Restricted - Under 17 requires accompanying parent or guardian. Children under 17 are not allowed to attend R-rated movies unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian 25 years of age or older.
Can a 17 year old take a 12 year old to a rated R movie? ›Children under age 17 requires an accompanying parent or guardian (age 21 or older) to attend R rated performances. 25 years and under must show ID for R rated performances.
What does rated D mean? ›
TV Parental Guidelines may have one or more letters added to the basic rating to let parents know when a show may contain violence, sex, adult language, or suggestive dialogue. D – suggestive dialogue (usually means talks about sex) L – coarse or crude language. S – sexual situations. V – violence.
Is TV-MA OK for 17 year olds? ›TV-MA: designed for adults and may be unsuitable for kids under 17; contains one or more of the following: graphic violence (V), strong sexual activity (S), and/or crude language (L)
What is rated Y? ›Programming rated TV-Y in the United States by the TV Parental Guidelines signifies content that's suitable for all children, but especially recommended for young children aged 6 and under.
Does Netflix have R rated shows? ›Even rom-coms, satirical comedies, and historical legal dramas can fall under the Restricted rating. Netflix features a massive library of movies and television series available for streaming. Among them are dozens of R-rating films, ranging from seemingly innocuous comedies with questionable themes to all-out horror.
What is Hulu TV MA rating? ›TV-MA: Mature Audience Only
This program may contain one or more of the following: crude indecent language (L), explicit sexual activity (S), or graphic violence (V). To watch TV-MA content on Hulu, users must be logged in and over the age of 18.
That said, Netflix doesn't have an adult-only category within the app. Even so, you can use the hidden code 11781 in the search bar, and Netflix's catalog of Steamy Romance movies will pop up. Keep in mind that streaming services no longer have a so-called “after dark” category like the one HBO Max used to have.
What TV rating should a 12 year old watch? ›E-10+ (for Everyone 10+): content is generally suitable for ages 10 and up. May contain more cartoon, fantasy, or mild violence; mild language; and/or minimal suggestive themes. T (for Teen): content is generally suitable for ages 13 and up.
What is the highest TV age rating? ›- TV-Y. All Children. This program is designed to be appropriate for all children. ...
- TV-Y7. Directed to Older Children. ...
- TV-Y7-FV. Directed to Older Children- Fantasy Violence. ...
- TV-G. General Audience. ...
- TV-PG. Parental Guidance Suggested. ...
- TV-14. Parents Strongly Cautioned. ...
- TV-MA. Mature Audience Only.
An R-rated motion picture, in the view of the board, contains some adult material. The film may include adult themes, adult activity, hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements, so that parents are counseled to take this rating very seriously.
Is Y7 worse than PG? ›TV-Y7-FV (Directed to Older Children - Fantasy Violence) - Programs where fantasy violence may be more intense or more combative than other programs in this category will be designated TV-Y7-FV. Equivalent to soft PG for movies and soft E10+ for video games.
Can kids watch MA movies? ›
The content is moderate in impact.
Films and computer games classified M (Mature) contain content of a moderate impact. M-rated films and computer games are not recommended for children under the age of 15. They include portrayals of elements such as violence and themes that require a mature outlook.
| Title | Release |
|---|---|
| The Shadowed Mind | 1988 |
| Shame | 2011 |
| Showgirls | 1995 |
| Softly from Paris: Series I-V | 1990 |
'MA' stands for 'mature audiences'. Children aged 17 and younger should not view these programs. There are a few different reasons why television content may be only suitable for mature audiences. The content descriptors used to determine ratings are strictly defined.
Can a 12 year old see an M-rated movie? ›Mature (M)
Films and computer games classified M (Mature) contain content of a moderate impact. M-rated films and computer games are not recommended for children under the age of 15. They include portrayals of elements such as violence and themes that require a mature outlook.
Titles rated T (Teen) have content that is generally suitable for ages 13 and up. May contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language. Titles rated M (Mature) have content that is generally suitable for persons ages 17 and up.
What does rated R mean M? ›An R-rated motion picture, in the view of the board, contains some adult material. The film may include adult themes, adult activity, hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements, so that parents are counseled to take this rating very seriously.
What age is rated M for mature? ›M = Mature
Titles rated M – Mature have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain mature sexual themes, more intense violence and/or strong language.
M is an advisory classification The content is moderate in impact. M films are not recommended for people aged under 15 as a level of maturity is required. MA 15+ is a legally restricted classification The content is strong in impact. MA 15+ films are not suitable for people aged under 15.
What are the rules for ma15+? ›MA 15+ rated material contains strong content and is legally restricted to people over the age of 15. It contains elements such as sex scenes and drug use that could have a strong impact on the viewer. A person may be asked to show proof of their age before purchasing or viewing an MA 15+ film or computer game.
Is PG-13 the same as M? ›Mature (M) - Not recommended for children under 15.
The content is moderate in impact. Equivalent to PG-13 for movies, T for video games and low TV-14 for television.
What does TV G mean? ›
TV-G - programs suitable for all ages; these are not necessarily children's shows. TV-PG - parental guidance is recommended; these programs may be unsuitable for younger children. TV-14 - these shows may be unsuitable for children under 14.
Is TV-MA or Rated R worse? ›R is merely the second extreme rating for television, whereas TV-MA is the most extreme. TV-MA is worse than R because it contains both R and NC-17-rated material. R is OK for viewers under 17 as long as they're accompanied by an adult, but TV-MA is never appropriate for viewers under 18.
Why is Outer Banks rated ma? ›Outer Banks most likely earned its TV-MA rating for violence and drug use, as well as profanity and some sexual content. The teens in the series are on the run from people trying to kill them — after all.
What does rated E mean? ›The ESRB E (Everyone) rating indicates the content of a game or app is generally suitable for all ages, and may contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, or infrequent use of mild language.
What is the meaning of B movie? ›: a cheaply produced motion picture.
What does rated G mean? ›Each of the designated ratings is defined as follows under the Motion Picture Classification and Rating program. G: GENERAL AUDIENCES. All ages admitted. PG: PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED. Some material may not be suitable for children.
What age is rated R for? ›As per the MPAA's film rating policy, patrons under the age of 17 will require an accompanying parent or guardian to attend an "R" rated film.
What is the highest maturity rating? ›NC-17. The NC-17 rating is the highest rating (even higher than the R-rating) that a film can be given, and it means the movie is for adults only (ages 18 and older) and no one age 17 or younger will be admitted. This rating, prior to 1990, was previously rated X.
What is the age rating for 17+? ›17+: May contain content unsuitable for children under the age of 17. Apps rated 17+ are not allowed to be purchased by children.