G, PG, PG-13, R and TV-MA: Movie and TV Ratings Explained for Parents

Family movie night goes better when you know what you are getting into. In the United States, theatrical movies carry ratings from the Motion Picture Association (MPA), while television and many streaming series use the TV Parental Guidelines. This guide offers movie ratings explained in plain English: what each label means, who assigns it, and how to use parental controls on the major streaming services.

Who rates movies in the US?

Film ratings are assigned by the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA), a board run under the MPA. The system is voluntary: no law requires a film to be rated. In practice, nearly every major theatrical release is rated, because most theaters and retailers expect it. The official site, FilmRatings.com, lets you look up any rated film along with a short "rating descriptor" explaining the reasons.

The board is made up of parents, and its stated goal is to give other parents advance information. It is not to judge a film's quality or to censor it.

The five MPA ratings

G: General Audiences

All ages admitted. Nothing in theme, language, nudity, sex or violence would, in the board's view, offend parents of young children. Pure G ratings have become rare, though classics like The Polar Express carry one.

PG: Parental Guidance Suggested

Some material may not be suitable for children. Expect mild language, brief peril or some thematic elements. Many Pixar and Disney films are rated PG, including Coco, shown above, and Toy Story is rated G.

PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned

Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Most superhero blockbusters land here, with more intense action violence, some strong language and suggestive material. For example, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight and Interstellar are both PG-13.

R: Restricted

Viewers under 17 require an accompanying parent or adult guardian. R-rated films may contain adult themes, harsh language, intense or persistent violence, sexual content or drug use. Many acclaimed dramas and most horror films are rated R, including Oppenheimer and Parasite.

NC-17: Adults Only

No one 17 and under admitted. The rating signals content most parents would consider too adult for teens. It does not mean a film is obscene. Few mainstream films are released with this rating.

Not Rated (NR or Unrated) simply means the film was never submitted. That is common for older films, festival titles, many international releases and some streaming originals. It does not mean the content is mild.

A short history of the rating system

The MPA ratings date back to November 1968, when they replaced the older Production Code, a set of content rules that had governed Hollywood films for decades. The original categories were G, M, R and X. Over the years they were refined:

• M became GP and then PG in the early 1970s.
• PG-13 was introduced in 1984, after parents complained that PG films such as Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom were too intense for young children. Gremlins, a holiday favorite, is still rated PG today.
• NC-17 replaced X in 1990, partly because the X label had become associated with adult films that were never submitted to the board.

Rating descriptors, the short explanations such as "for intense sequences of action violence," were added in the 1990s and are now among the most useful parts of the system. When two films share a rating, the descriptor tells you which one better suits your family.

Tips for choosing films by rating

• Read the descriptor first. "Thematic elements" usually means difficult subject matter, such as grief or illness, rather than graphic content.
• Remember that standards shift. A PG film from the 1980s may contain language or scenes that would earn a PG-13 today, and the reverse is sometimes true.
• Watch the trailer together. It is the quickest way to judge tone, and kids often self-select out of films that look too scary.
• Consider the child, not just the age. Some 10-year-olds love spooky stories, while some teenagers dislike gore. Ratings are a guide, not a rule.

TV Parental Guidelines: the ratings on shows

TV series use a separate system, the TV Parental Guidelines, created by the TV industry with input from advocacy groups. Ratings appear at the start of programs and in streaming apps:

Content descriptors can be added: D for suggestive dialogue, L for coarse language, S for sexual situations, V for violence and FV for fantasy violence, used on children's programs. A rating such as TV-14-LV tells you the main reasons for the label.

How streaming services use ratings

Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max and other services display MPA ratings for films and TV Parental Guidelines for series. Some also show their own maturity labels. Every major service offers parental controls, typically including:

• Kids or family profiles that only show content up to a chosen maturity level.
• Profile PINs so children cannot switch to an adult profile.
• Title-by-title blocking for specific shows or films.
• Viewing history so you can see what was watched.

Settings menus change from time to time, so check each provider's help center. For example, the Netflix parental controls help page explains maturity ratings and profile locks.

Ratings vs. reviews: use both

A rating tells you why a film might be unsuitable, not whether it is good. Pair the rating with reviews and audience scores. Our guide to IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic explains how to read them. Also remember that two PG-13 films can feel very different: one may have constant action violence, another a single scene of strong language. Always read the descriptor.

Family-friendly places to start

If you are building a family watchlist, these are reliable starting points:

• Our guide to the best Pixar and Disney animated movies on Disney+, mostly rated G and PG.
• The best Christmas movies and where to watch them, including several PG classics.
• Our family collection and animation collection.

Every title page on ReelsMasala includes an official trailer, a good way to preview tone and intensity before committing.