Dino Dana

This is a neat show, but I am surprised "violence and scariness" is rated as "not present"--being chased by a CGI T Rex, as in episode 1, is pretty scary. After a couple of episodes it's clear the main character is never in danger (dinos simply don't attack her); but still, you are watching cute baby dinosaurs be hunted, and you pretty much have their point of view as frightening-looking predators search for them, realize where they are hiding, bash against and start to break the barrier between them, etc. It was too scary for my 5 year old.

It's not easy to find a POC female-led kids show that doesn't involve princesses and romance. This show does everything right! From the blended family, to Dana's practical clothing with lots of pockets to hold her gear, to her excitement and curiosity to investigate all things dinosaur, and her willingness to get dirty, this show addresses so many things that other shows are not willing to touch. They don't white-wash Dana's uncle and aunt (Ravi and Anjali) by naming them, for example, Robert and Angela. They make tomato sauce with their Italian grandmother and use spicy peppers in Indian dishes with Uncle Ravi. Dana's step-dad (who she just calls dad) is a nurse who crochets. Dana's mom is a vet who handles boa constrictors with no fear. In the Dino Dana movie Dana's sister faces a tough decision on deciding whether to live with her separated mother or father. (It is so important for kids to see all kinds of families represented on screen other than the traditional nuclear family!) I could go on and on about all these little details that make the show so relatable and realistic. They never detract from Dana's dino experiments and only serve to add layers of realism to her adventures.