Face to Face (2019) Parents Guide: Is the series OK for kids?

Sexual content is explicit in discussion and implied action. There are frequent and detailed discussions of prostitution, sex work, and various sexual perversions including mentions of "kink" involving whips, ball gags, and harnesses (without explicit depiction). Bjorn's daughter is revealed to have been involved in prostitution, and he visits a brothel and interviews sex workers. There are also mentions of a character's sex affair and the 'darknet' selling illegal sexual content.

Violence is strong and often graphic. The series opens with a video depicting a woman being murdered via suffocation, shown in disturbing close-up. Other violent acts include a man being repeatedly slapped, causing a bloody mouth, a menacing scene where a man's fingers are threatened with being broken, and a character being stabbed in the stomach. A horse is shot in the head off-screen but with disturbing sound, used to terrorize a character. Autopsy scenes feature pools of blood and medical instruments.

Strong language is frequent and pervasive throughout the season once the subtitles begin using it in episode 2. Words like "fuck" appear in nearly every sentence in dialogue, alongside other crude and graphic sexual slang terms, contributing heavily to the TV-MA rating. Other profanity is also regularly used.

Substance use is frequent and plot-integral. Characters are seen casually drinking alcohol in various settings. There are direct mentions and implications of illegal drug use, including in the context of prostitution and parties, as Bjorn learns about his daughter's past. A specific scene involves discussions of substance abuse within the sex work industry.

The primary theme is intense grief and a father's desperate, traumatic investigation into his daughter's hidden life. This involves themes of exploitation, urban decay, prostitution, drug abuse, corruption, and betrayal. Characters grapple with shocking revelations about loved ones. Mental illness and psychological distress are also central, as Bjorn's grief and discoveries push him to his limits, leading him to question his own perception of reality and face his own past mistakes.