Content & Trigger Warnings for Snowfall (2017)
22 content warnings identified across 2 seasons for this show.
Quick Summary
Yes, Snowfall (2017) contains 22 content warnings : Homophobia / transphobia (depicted), Racial slurs / racism (depicted), Death of a child, Death of a parent, Grief / bereavement (major focus), Suicide (discussed or ideation), Gaslighting / emotional manipulation, Infidelity, Kidnapping / abduction, Wrongful imprisonment, Blood / medical gore, Explicit sexual content / nudity, Alcohol abuse (depicted), Drug use (depicted), Overdose scenes, Domestic violence / intimate partner abuse, Gore / graphic violence, Gun violence, Police brutality, Self-harm / suicide (depicted), Sexual assault / rape, Torture.
The most severe warnings are for Racial slurs / racism (depicted) (severity 4/5), Death of a child (severity 4/5), Death of a parent (severity 4/5), Grief / bereavement (major focus) (severity 5/5), Gaslighting / emotional manipulation (severity 4/5), Infidelity (severity 4/5), Blood / medical gore (severity 4/5), Drug use (depicted) (severity 5/5), Overdose scenes (severity 4/5), Domestic violence / intimate partner abuse (severity 4/5), Gore / graphic violence (severity 5/5), Gun violence (severity 5/5), Police brutality (severity 4/5), Torture (severity 4/5).
Check the full breakdown below before you watch.
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Does It Get Worse?
14 series-wide warnings apply across all seasons.
| Warning | Season | Severity | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identity & Discrimination | ||||
| Homophobia / transphobia (depicted) | All | 3/5 | Depicted | A gay character faces homophobia and struggles with identity within the drug trade culture |
| Racial slurs / racism (depicted) | S1 | 4/5 | Depicted | Racial language used extensively reflecting 1980s South Central Los Angeles |
| Racial slurs / racism (depicted) | S4 | 4/5 | Depicted | Continued pervasive racial language as the story moves through the late 1980s |
| Racial slurs / racism (depicted) | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Systemic racism and its role in the crack epidemic and policing of Black communities is a major theme |
| Mental Health & Emotional | ||||
| Death of a child | S4 | 4/5 | Depicted | Young people become casualties of the escalating drug war |
| Death of a parent | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Parental loss and absent parents are significant emotional themes |
| Death of a parent | S4 | 4/5 | Depicted | Parental death and family destruction are major emotional throughlines |
| Death of a parent | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Parental deaths have significant impact on multiple characters and their trajectories |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | S1 | 4/5 | Depicted | Characters mourn friends and family lost to violence and addiction |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | S4 | 5/5 | Depicted | Devastating losses accumulate as the series reaches its climax |
| Suicide (discussed or ideation) | S4 | 3/5 | Depicted | A character's despair leads to self-destructive choices bordering on suicidal |
| Other | ||||
| Gaslighting / emotional manipulation | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | CIA involvement and government manipulation of the crack epidemic |
| Gaslighting / emotional manipulation | S4 | 4/5 | Depicted | Government conspiracy and personal betrayals reach their peak |
| Infidelity | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Multiple characters engage in extramarital affairs throughout |
| Infidelity | S4 | 4/5 | Depicted | Relationship betrayals intensify as the drug life consumes the characters |
| Kidnapping / abduction | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Rivals and associates are captured as part of criminal power struggles |
| Kidnapping / abduction | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Characters are kidnapped and held hostage as part of drug trade operations |
| Wrongful imprisonment | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Characters face incarceration within a racially biased justice system |
| Phobias & Sensory | ||||
| Blood / medical gore | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Significant blood shown during violent scenes throughout the series |
| Sexual Content | ||||
| Explicit sexual content / nudity | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Sexual content and nudity in multiple episodes |
| Explicit sexual content / nudity | S4 | 3/5 | Depicted | Sexual content continues through the later seasons |
| Explicit sexual content / nudity | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Sex scenes and sexual content throughout the series |
| Substance Use | ||||
| Alcohol abuse (depicted) | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Heavy drinking accompanies the drug trade lifestyle for multiple characters |
| Alcohol abuse (depicted) | S4 | 3/5 | Depicted | Alcohol abuse continues as a coping mechanism for the main characters |
| Alcohol abuse (depicted) | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Heavy alcohol consumption depicted among various characters throughout the series |
| Drug use (depicted) | S1 | 5/5 | Depicted | Crack cocaine manufacturing and distribution is the central premise shown extensively |
| Drug use (depicted) | S4 | 5/5 | Depicted | The crack epidemic reaches its full devastating scope with more explicit depictions |
| Drug use (depicted) | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Cocaine trafficking, manufacturing, and distribution are the central focus of the entire series |
| Overdose scenes | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Characters witness the devastating effects of crack addiction including overdoses |
| Overdose scenes | S4 | 4/5 | Depicted | Overdose deaths become more frequent as addiction spirals for key characters |
| Overdose scenes | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Multiple overdose scenes showing the devastating effects of crack cocaine on individuals and communities |
| Violence & Physical Harm | ||||
| Domestic violence / intimate partner abuse | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Intimate partner violence depicted in relationships stressed by the drug trade |
| Domestic violence / intimate partner abuse | S4 | 4/5 | Depicted | Domestic violence intensifies as characters spiral under pressure |
| Gore / graphic violence | S1 | 4/5 | Depicted | Graphic aftermath of shootings and violent attacks shown in detail |
| Gore / graphic violence | S4 | 5/5 | Depicted | Violence becomes more graphic and unflinching in the final seasons |
| Gun violence | S1 | 5/5 | Depicted | Frequent shootings, drive-bys, and armed confrontations throughout |
| Gun violence | S4 | 5/5 | Depicted | Gang warfare intensifies with more frequent and deadly shootings |
| Gun violence | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Pervasive and graphic gun violence including drive-by shootings, executions, and gang warfare |
| Police brutality | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Corrupt law enforcement and police violence against community members depicted throughout |
| Self-harm / suicide (depicted) | All | 2/5 | Depicted | Suicidal behavior referenced or depicted in response to hopelessness and trauma |
| Sexual assault / rape | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Sexual assault occurs in some storylines related to the drug trade and power dynamics |
| Torture | S1 | 4/5 | Depicted | Brutal enforcement and punishment within the drug trade shown graphically |
| Torture | S4 | 4/5 | Depicted | Increasingly brutal violence as criminal stakes reach their highest point |
| Torture | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Characters are tortured for information or as retribution in the drug trade |
Identity & Discrimination
A gay character faces homophobia and struggles with identity within the drug trade culture
Racial language used extensively reflecting 1980s South Central Los Angeles
Continued pervasive racial language as the story moves through the late 1980s
Systemic racism and its role in the crack epidemic and policing of Black communities is a major theme
Mental Health & Emotional
Parental loss and absent parents are significant emotional themes
Parental death and family destruction are major emotional throughlines
Parental deaths have significant impact on multiple characters and their trajectories
Characters mourn friends and family lost to violence and addiction
Devastating losses accumulate as the series reaches its climax
A character's despair leads to self-destructive choices bordering on suicidal
Other
CIA involvement and government manipulation of the crack epidemic
Government conspiracy and personal betrayals reach their peak
Relationship betrayals intensify as the drug life consumes the characters
Rivals and associates are captured as part of criminal power struggles
Characters are kidnapped and held hostage as part of drug trade operations
Characters face incarceration within a racially biased justice system
Phobias & Sensory
Significant blood shown during violent scenes throughout the series
Sexual Content
Sexual content continues through the later seasons
Sex scenes and sexual content throughout the series
Substance Use
Heavy drinking accompanies the drug trade lifestyle for multiple characters
Alcohol abuse continues as a coping mechanism for the main characters
Heavy alcohol consumption depicted among various characters throughout the series
Crack cocaine manufacturing and distribution is the central premise shown extensively
The crack epidemic reaches its full devastating scope with more explicit depictions
Cocaine trafficking, manufacturing, and distribution are the central focus of the entire series
Characters witness the devastating effects of crack addiction including overdoses
Overdose deaths become more frequent as addiction spirals for key characters
Multiple overdose scenes showing the devastating effects of crack cocaine on individuals and communities
Violence & Physical Harm
Intimate partner violence depicted in relationships stressed by the drug trade
Domestic violence intensifies as characters spiral under pressure
Graphic aftermath of shootings and violent attacks shown in detail
Violence becomes more graphic and unflinching in the final seasons
Pervasive and graphic gun violence including drive-by shootings, executions, and gang warfare
Corrupt law enforcement and police violence against community members depicted throughout
Suicidal behavior referenced or depicted in response to hopelessness and trauma
Sexual assault occurs in some storylines related to the drug trade and power dynamics
Brutal enforcement and punishment within the drug trade shown graphically
Increasingly brutal violence as criminal stakes reach their highest point
Characters are tortured for information or as retribution in the drug trade
