Netflix's Cursed Is Captivating, but the Epic Fantasy Is Definitely Not For Kids

Seriously. The story basically revolves around the Red Paladins hunting down the Fey, though later on, it’s fair to say that everyone has blood on their hands. All throughout the first season, you’ll see people being burned, shot, stabbed, beheaded, trampled, and more. The show is rather forward about it as well, so you won’t see too many cutaway shots. In the very opening scene, we see Nimue underwater, shot with arrows and surrounded by her own blood.

Cursed brings the steam here and there. Characters have sexual relationships, but sex isn’t the primary focus of the show. Nudity, for the most part, is concealed or very shadowy, slightly less graphic than what you might find on HBO. There’s also a (literally) steamy hot-spring scene, though the characters don’t do anything except almost kiss. Cursed features an explicit sex scene toward the end that goes by fairly quickly.

The world building and plot can be lost upon younger children because it gets complicated. There are different groups to keep track of – Red Paladins, raiders, nuns, Fey, and more. Even among the Fey, you have multiple groups, such as the Tusks, Snakes, and Sky Folks.

The plot also twists and turns. While this can keep adults on the edge of their seats, children may find it hard to follow. By the end, multiple people and groups go after Nimue, all of their motivations slightly different.

Cursed keeps it light when it comes to profane language (you’ll hear a “sh*t” and “piss” here or there), but it gets dark as everyone chases after control and power. We see adult themes revolving around excess, violence, and revenge. Merlin copes with his troubled past by drinking copiously, especially in the first couple of episodes. The Red Paladins exert their power over others through torture, even keeping a child as a hostage. And King Uther, upon discovering the truth about his background, plots revenge accordingly.

The casual massacres and totalitarian Red Paladins are undoubtedly scary. But even beyond the violence, we also get other creepy factors thrown into the mix that legitimately give the show The Conjuring and American Horror Story vibes. The appearance of the unsettling black-veiled Widow alone will give you chills. Morgana has a spooky story as well. She later becomes linked with the Widow after seeing her ghostly lover and dealing with the Cailleach (the spider god).