Katrina: Come Hell and High Water is a 2025 U.S. documentary miniseries. It is directed by Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha Knowles, and Spike Lee.
The series features New Orleans survivors, first responders, and community leaders, with Spike Lee as executive producer.
It follows people who lived through Hurricane Katrina and examines systemic failures and recovery. The three-part series premieres on Netflix on August 27, 2025.
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water Age Rating
Official Rating: TV-MA (Netflix). This reflects mature themes, strong language, and intense archival footage from a real disaster. Expect distressing disaster footage, frank discussions of death, and strong language.
TV-MA means “Mature Audience Only.” It’s a U.S. TV rating for programs intended for adults and not suitable for viewers under 17. It’s roughly comparable to an R-rated movie, and most TVs/streaming apps let you block TV-MA content with parental controls.
Violence & Peril
- Level: Moderate to strong (real-world peril).
- What appears: Archival images of flooding, rescues, destruction, and chaotic evacuations. Interviews recount deaths, loss, and traumatic experiences. No stylized gore, but the realism can be harrowing.
Language
- Level: Moderate to strong.
- Details: Adults use strong profanity in interviews and public clips. Heated, emotionally charged language appears when discussing government failures and responses.
Mature Themes
- Topics: Death and grief, displacement, racism and inequity, PTSD, government response, and community rebuilding. Archival clips may show smoking or drinking in the background coverage. The tone is serious and reflective.
Is Katrina: Come Hell and High Water Suitable for Teens?
Ages 10–12: No. The distressing real footage and heavy themes are too intense for preteens.
Ages 13–15: With Guidance. Mature middle and early high school viewers may watch with an adult to process context and emotions.
Ages 16+: Yes, with context. Strong educational value for older teens studying history, civics, or climate issues.
Final Recommendation: Best for 16+, or 13–15 with close parental guidance due to intense real-life content.
What Parents Can Do
Prep for tough footage: Explain that real people were harmed and that scenes can be upsetting; offer a pause plan.
Add context: Discuss how levees, emergency planning, and inequities shaped outcomes in New Orleans.
Debrief after each episode: Ask what felt hardest to watch and what resilience or community actions stood out.
Official Trailer
FAQs
Q: What is the age rating?
A: TV-MA on Netflix for mature thematic content, distressing disaster footage, and strong language.
Q: Is it appropriate for kids or younger teens?
A: Not for kids. For teens, it’s best suited to 16+; ages 13–15 only with guidance due to intensity.
Q: How intense are the violence/scary scenes?
A: No staged violence, but real footage of flooding, destruction, rescues, and loss can be very upsetting.
Q: Does it include profanity or slurs?
A: Yes, some strong profanity appears in interviews and archival clips reflecting raw emotions.
Q: Any sexual content or nudity?
A: None expected; the focus is on disaster impact and recovery.
Q: Where can I watch it?
A: Streaming on Netflix starting August 27, 2025. It’s a three-part docuseries. (Region ratings may vary; e.g., listed as “15” in some locales.)