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Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this show is riddled with questionable teenage behavior, including underage drinking, sexual exploration, and blatant disobedience. Most of this behavior from the two main teen characters goes without any repercussion, as the dad seems to ignore it and the psychologist mom is too engrossed in her patients' issues to notice those of her kids. But the series does provide an insightful view of social disorders and highlights how society often misinterprets a variety of disorders as mental incapacities.

Families can talk about how people respond to those with mental and social disorders. When you encounter someone who's delayed, how do you react? Do you try to communicate with them, or do you simply walk away, frustrated that you don't know how? Parents also can discuss discipline with their teens. What can parents do to enforce their rules without hurting their relationships with their kids?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Emily Ashby

When an unidentified teenage boy is found wandering naked in the woods, no one at the detention center where he's sent can make much sense of him. The fact that he doesn't speak or seem to comprehend language, exhibits no human instincts or emotions, and has no belly button only increase the mystery surrounding him.

It's only when psychologist Nicole Trager (Marguerite MacIntyre) takes him into her home that he begins to make progress, learning to communicate by mimicking what he hears and sees.

Written by J. Mackye Gruber and Eric Bress, who created The Butterfly Effect, KYLE XY is the story of a 16-year-old savant who knows nothing of his past and has no idea how to function in society, but who exhibits brilliance in art, music, and mathematics.

Kyle (Matt Dallas, Wannabe) adapts to family life in the Trager home, eventually earning the compassion of Nicole's husband, Stephen (Bruce Thomas of Legally Blonde), and her kids, Lori (April Matson) and Josh (Jean-Luc Bilodeau).

As his language skills improve, Kyle reveals to Nicole his fear of the world he doesn't understand asks her who he is. Unable to answer him, she vows to help him unlock his past. Perhaps in the process, she can also figure out the identity of the mysterious man who, unbeknownst to them, is stalking Kyle and the Tragers.

Kyle XY's premise is intriguing, but viewers may find aspects disruptive to the overall mood. While Kyle apparently can't understand what's said to him, his voice-over narration shares his very intuitive thoughts. It's difficult to reconcile his perpetually bewildered expression with his ability to formulate thoughts and questions in response to people's actions. Plus, the speed with which he learns to communicate in full sentences (within a few days of being found) seems unrealistic, leaving the show feeling a bit far-fetched.

Fans of edgy dramas with a sci-fi twist might want to try The 4400 or Battlestar Galactica.

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Content
		CS	adults	kids
Sexual Content The opening scene shows a nude teenage boy lying in the woods. There are party scenes with couples making out, and teens tell friends things like "he put his hand down my pants." Masturbation and loss of virginity are dealt with; a character is obviously aroused in one scene/episode, and other characters notice (one even teaches him how to "deal with it").
Violence Occasional brief fistfights.
Language "Ass," "bitch," "damn," "hell," "slut," and the like, but it's not a constant part of the show.
Message
	Social Behavior Although many characters initially label the main character "retarded" because he's so unresponsive, as they begin to understand his issues, they respect him for the brilliant -- albeit different -- person he is. The psychologist mom often seems oblivious to her kids' issues and doesn't make much of an effort to effectively communicate with them.
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Encouraged by friends and with little consequence, teens drink lots of beer at parties. One girl escapes being arrested but suffers a horrible hangover the next day.

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