Reference: Overall Content Line
Rick Retro’s Reference Rundown #13: Content Block, Overall Content Line
Retro Reviews Reference
The body of the review and the Footer Block are followed by the Content Block. The first line is the Overall Content Line revealing the overall content rating, followed by the official public rating. It’s followed by the Content Detail Line with the five areas of content rated.
Here are two examples of possible content blocks:
✅2️⃣ OK for older kids. | PGa
😡+2 😵💫+1^ 🤬+2 🤭+2 🫣+2
❌4️⃣ Extreme adults-only content. | R
😡-1 😵💫-0 🤬-2v 🤭-4 🫣-1
Emoji index:
✅ + (plus)
❌ - (minus)
😡 Violence/Scariness
😵💫 Substances (Smoking, Alcohol, Drug Abuse)
🤬 Language
🤭 Sex
🫣 Nudity
All detail ratings can range from +3 to -4. The overall rating can range from ✅3️⃣ (+3) to ❌4️⃣ (-4). The overall rating will equal the lowest detail rating, taking into account mitigated ratings.
A mitigated rating is indicated by up or down arrows. This indicates that while a rating technically represents a certain level of content, mitigating factors, such as the overall viewpoint, message or tone of the film, make this content less (^) or more (v) troubling than the numerical rating indicates.
For example, 🫣+1^ means that for purposes of determining the overall content rating, the Nudity rating is +2. Or 🤬-1vv means that for purposes of determining the overall content rating, the Language rating is -3.
Overall Content Ratings
✅3️⃣ OK for younger kids. (Grades K-2) Typically rated G or TV-G.
✅2️⃣ OK for older kids. (Grades 3-7) Typically rated G, PGa, TV-G or TV-PG.
✅1️⃣ OK for teens and adults. (Grades 8+) Typically rated PGa or TV-PG, includes standard 20th century TV fare.
✅0️⃣ Mostly OK for teens and adults. (Might be considered inappropriate for sensitive teens and adults.) Typically rated PGa, PGb, PG-13 or TV-PG, includes standard TV fare of today that would have been considered borderline TV in the 20th century.
❌0️⃣ Problematic for teens and sensitive adults. Typically rated PGb, PGc, PG-13 or TV-PG, includes questionable standard TV fare of today that would not have been allowed on TV a few decades ago,
❌1️⃣ Light adults-only content. Typically rated PGb, PGc, PG-13 (heavy), R (light) or TV-MA (light).
❌2️⃣ Moderate adults-only content. Typically rated R (moderate), UN for an unrated version of a PG-13 rated work, or TV-MA (moderate).
❌3️⃣ Heavy adults-only content. Typically rated R (heavy), UN for an unrated version of an R rated work, or TV-MA (heavy).
❌4️⃣ Extreme adults-only content. Typically rated beyond R such as X, NC-17, UN for an unrated version of an R rated work, or TV-MA (extreme).
Official ratings abbreviations and descriptions:
TV-Y This program is designed to be appropriate for all children.
TV-Y7 This program is designed for children age 7 and above.
NR Not Rated, but would likely be G, PG or PG-13 if it were.
App 1934-1968 Approved for all audiences.
G 1968-present, General audiences – All ages admitted.
TV-G Most parents will find this program suitable for all ages.
PGa July 1, 1984-present, Parental guidance suggested – Some material may not be suitable for children.
TV-PG This program contains material that parents may find unsuitable for younger children.
SMA 1966-1968 Suggested for mature audiences.
M 1968-1970 Suggested for mature audiences. Parental discretion advised.
GP 1970-1972 All ages admitted – Parental guidance suggested, may not be suitable for pre-teenagers.
PGb 1972-1977 Parental guidance suggested – Some material may not be suitable for pre-teenagers.
PGc 1977-June 30, 1984 Parental guidance suggested – Some material may not be suitable for children.
PG-13 1984-present, Parents strongly cautioned – Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
TV-14 This program contains material that many parents would find unsuitable for children under 14 years of age.
R16 1968-1970 Restricted – Persons under 16 not admitted, unless accompanied by parent or adult guardian.
R 1970-present, Restricted – Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
TV-MA This program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17.
UN Not Rated, but likely would be R or NC-17 if it were.
X16 1968-1970 Persons under 16 not admitted.
X 1970-1990 No one under 17 admitted.
NC-17b 1990-1996 No children under 17 admitted.
NC-17 1996-present, Adults only – No one 17 and under admitted.
Originally posted to text group 2025-01-21
Last updated 2025-03-02
Retro Reviews Reference Pages:
Reference Overview
Header Block:
Primary Information Line
Version Line
Secondary Information Line
Franchise/Series Lines
Opinion Block:
Grade Line
Entertainment Quality Line
Dark Whimsy Line
POPCAP Line
Left-Right Line
Footer Block:
Review Lines
Genre Line
Content Block:
Overall Content Line
Content Detail Line
Viewpoint Block:
My View Line
Christian Values Line
Biblical Values Line
Political Values Line
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