Make It or Break It (ABC Family)

common sense media says

Gymnastics series mixes competition and teen drama.


parents & educators say
  • 79% say sexual content is an issue
  • 53% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that one of the main characters in this tween/teen-targeted sports drama is a snobby, spoiled girl whose father condones her unsportsmanlike behavior by buying her way onto another team when she loses an important competition. She's rude to rivals and "friends" alike and is quick to pass judgment on people based on things like appearance. Also expect some intermittent strong language and sexual content (teens kiss and sleep together, though no sex is shown). That said, the series does explore the positive aspects of athletic competition and the traits that make for a successful athlete and a unified team.

Positive messages: The positive aspects of sports and competition are addressed, but they're frequently overshadowed by the soap opera-like goings on. Characters manipulate each other frequently, and there's lots of melodrama.
Positive role models: Characters sometimes behave in selfish ways to get ahead. A teen girl attempts to sabotage a competitor's chance at beating her in a gymnastics meet; when she fails, her wealthy father buys and blackmails her way onto another team. She's also rude to her peers, mocking them for things like worn clothing and her family's low socioeconomic status. On the flipside, an unlikely trio of teammates must draw on their inner strength -- and one another -- to overcome new challenges.
Violence: Not applicable.
Sex: Teens sleep together (no sex shown). Some kissing between teens. Teen boys comment on girls' appearances ("she's hot," for instance), and terms like "booty call" pop into casual conversation.
Language: A few instances each of words like "hell," "damn," and "bitch."
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Make It or Break It

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about competition. What are the benefits of taking part in a contest? What types of contests have you participated in? How did you prepare for them? How did your skills improve as you trained?

  • Parents can also use the characters’ behavior to learn about their kids’ own peer relationships. Have you ever felt like an outsider among your peers? How did you overcome the situation? How might you help someone else who’s feeling that way?

What's the story?

What's the story?

When gymnastics newcomer Emily (Chelsea Hobbs) is invited to train alongside some of the country's most promising athletes, she's greeted with a cold shoulder from her new team's three stars -- Payson (Ayla Kell), Kaylie (Josie Loren), and Lauren (Cassie Scerbo) -- who view her arrival as a threat to their club dominance. With a shot at the Olympics on the line, ultra-competitive Lauren will stop at nothing to end Emily's hopes. But when the underdog pulls through to claim Lauren's spot on the team, Lauren's wealthy father bribes and blackmails his daughter's way onto a rival squad, setting the stage for plenty of drama -- both in the gym and out of it.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

MAKE IT OR BREAK IT is a true underdog tale with an appealing heroine in Emily, who struggles to fulfill her dream in the competitive -- and often elitist -- world of gymnastics while she balances her family's financial struggles. It's easy to cheer for her in her rivalry with snooty Lauren, and there are some positive messages about acceptance and respect to be found in her evolving relationship with less-judgmental teammates Kaylie and Payson.

Since there's some salty language (multiple uses of "hell," "damn," and "bitch") and mild sexual content (though physical exchanges are limited to kissing) -- including a forbidden romance between teens -- the show is best suited for older tweens and teens. Though most of the content is fairly mild, the teens' behavior (particularly Lauren's) could send negative messages to young tweens about competition, sportsmanship, and relating to peers. And even if your kids are older, it's a good idea to follow up with them about any similar behavior they encounter among their own friends and acquaintances.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-14
Network: ABC Family
Cast: Ayla Kell, Cassie Scerbo, Chelsea Hobbs
Genre: Drama
Where to watch: ABC Family

This review was written by Emily Ashby
 
 

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What parents & educators say

13
Based on 19 parent & educator reviews:
  • 79% say sexual content is an issue
  • 53% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking
  • 42% say there are positive role models
  • 42% say there are positive messages
  • 26% say language is an issue

Most useful reviews by all members

asmit4
adult
 
Great for teens..enough gritt, but with morals...
All teen dramas these days seem to have more sex, drinking, drugs etc. than in the 80s and 90s. Yes, this show carries those same themes but I wouldn't place it in the category of Gossip Girl or 90210. Yes, teens have sex, but they seriously regret it, and a pseudo mom steps in to discuss her sexual indiscretions at a young age with the young girl- Candace Cameron. Her description brought me to tears and I can't imagine a teenage girl not getting the message. Yes, teens drink. But one has a serious hangover, and they ALL get in serious trouble the next day by there coach. I think one great thing about this show is that it shows teen girls 'into' something other than boys and parties. It shows them as strong young women who make mistakes, have flaws, and have low self esteem sometimes. Yet they all have drive to make something of themselves- something other than being prom queen. I give this teen show high marks because it has enough gritt to make it believable and create drama for teens but it also throws in good values. I'm not sure if many of you know much about Candace Cameron these days but she takes her Christian faith seriously and wouldn't take part in a show that didn't ultimately teach good family values. It takes kids making mistakes to teach valuable life lessons and I think this makes the show great.

lilla834
teen, 16 years old
 
ok for some 12 year olds... Def for 13!
Make it or break it is a wonderful show that is about Elite level gymnasts who are all trying to maake their way to the olympics. Payson is my favorite. She is an exceltent role modle and is very dedicated to the sport. Kailee has an eating disorder and is recovering. Lauren is a snot and is inly good with boys, sex, and money. Emily is a great role modle. Her brother is disabled and sick. She is on probation as of right now because they could not afford the medication. She stole it becaause it was a life or death situation at the time. In the last episode Emily found out she was prenant. This is very shocking becuase Elite gymnasts have hardly started to go through puberty. They have bodies of 9,10, and 11 year olds. This is ok for many 12 year olds. Its no more than they will hear at a lunch table or a locker room, or even science class.

mychildrensadv ...
parent of 9 year old
 
Very questionable- even for teens.
We used to watch the show with our daughters, who are gymnasts. However, we have recently had to delete recorded episodes before they have a chance to see it. The teenage girls on the show are stealing, having sex, starving themselves, lying, and now one is pregnant! They have completely crossed the border with this show, it's become nothing more than a trashy teenage soap opera.

eatsleeprun
kid, 10 years old
 
Love this show i watch it with my older sister and we LOVE it!!!!!!!!!!!!

moviefan22
teen, 13 years old
 
Fine show to watch and keeps you hooked in
My sister absolutely loves this show and I've seen it a few times. It's ok, with not much innapropiate things in it. It's one of those few shows that keeps you hooked in for the full hour, but doesn't completely succeed in how good it is.

musicfan789
teen, 14 years old
 
AWESOME
all i can say is i watch it every monday and it is AWESOME

 
For mature audience only!
It talks about young athletes drinking then having sex with their friends boyfriend. Is this appropriate. Coming from a college athlete I don’t think sports should be viewed in this light. It is not about gymnastics... it is catty and over-dramatic!!

loheart
teen, 18 years old
 
I love it

Wordypen
parent of and 9 , 11 , 13 , 15 year old
 
Older teens, strong sexual content
The show has continued to spiral downward as one competitor sleeps with another girl's boyfriend. The talk of sex is shallow and does not take into account all that the competitors give up with such casual sexual behavior. It is a shame, the show has such potential to be a winner.

nmmom2
parent
 
Mom-daughter bonding and dialogue. Excellent.
I think this would be a great show for mothers to watch with their teenage daughters. I believe that the show's strengths will be best brought out when conversations about the episodes follow watching each one. Sportsmanship, integrity, body image issues, peer pressure, inner strength, following dreams, self truth, discipline, decision making, friendship, family struggles, teen pregnancy...all play major roles in this show. The writing is strong, the characters well developed. I absolutely plan to watch this with my daughter when she is a little bit older.

Sanjay407
kid, 13 years old
 

tsbysharon
parent of 15 year old
 
Promotes sex and underage drinking! If you like that then watch it.
I watched the show two times, and decided it's dealing with things that I choose not to let my teenage girl watch. I really thought the show was going to good,but dissappointed when they went to a drinking party and the one girl slept with the other girls boyfriend.

cmcmellon
parent of 15 and 22 year old
 
Positive role models in the way the girls are so dedicated to gymnastics and support each other. One girl has to work and fit in school/gymnastics. The antagonist on the show is a typical "little rich girl" whose dad pays her way...

O.D.
parent
 
This show you need to watch with your kid. Your comments about what is appropriate and what is not will help a lot. Kids can learn from this show how to achieve your goal and not to give up when it is the challenge. You can also get your child attention on relationship with family and friends and without of going into anything personal, you can give them an idea how to act in one or another situation. It's a great opportunity for you to pin-point on your child's mistakes without hurting her/his feelings,only using situation in the show, and see, how your kid reacts when she/he sees this situation "from the side" Another words, you can have some fun together with your kids and teach them a life lessons without lecturing them and hurting their feelings. I watched this show with my 10 y.o. daughter (with skipping "some" moments). But she knows all about "it" from her peers, so when she brought this conversation up, I decided it's time for her to know those things from parents. In the show she is more interested on gymnastics part, she is in gymnastics as well, and I find this movie encouraging and informative

twilightluver7689
teen, 16 years old
 
Positive and Negitive messages
I love this series! I have been watching it since it premiered and it rocks! One of the girls trys to get whatever she wants no matter what the cost though. Although girls do stand up for themselves, there is lying most likely involved. Great show for teens.

extra04918
parent of 7 and 14 year old
 
I was stunned to watch this with my 13 year old and hear the words "ass" used several times in the first few minutes of the pilot. I naively assumed that ABC Family was appropriate viewing for families ... I'm glad I didn't invite our 5 year old to join us! I was uncomfortable even with the commercials; they were for other ABCFam series that seemed even less appropriate. I thought long and hard about continuing our viewing. Since then, we've watched two more episodes together, and I was definitely upset when last week's show had the main characters attending a keg party, and one having had sex (not shown, but implied visually -- I asked my daughter what she thought had happened, and she agreed). I was disappointed that the characters seem to have so little backbone, values or, well, character. I'd love to see them debating the choices, rather than just trouping off merrily (even the likeable "underdog") to participate in underage drinking, as if it doesn't even merit discussion or consideration. It has ended up being a great way for my daughter and I to discuss a lot of the topics I think are so important (drinking, sex, lying, friendship, dating) but I've been kicking myself for assuming that shows on a "family" channel would be appropriate for a 13 year old.

missbuenrostro
teen, 16 years old
 

Nerdy_Mamma
parent of and 5 , 7 , 11 , 11 , 14 , 16 year old
 

 
Commercials are deceptive, not a family show.
I'm so bummed. My 8 year old and 5 year old REALLY like the show. We are going to stop watching after last nights episode. Could they have talked about sex and virginity more? We kept fast-forwarding through inappropriate parts and missed so much, we finally turned it off. I'd say my mistake; however, I don't think the marketing plan was clear on who they were aiming this toward. The commercials showed a nice, fun summer show the whole family could enjoy. That is not the case.

BethDiane
educator and parent of and 14 , 17 , 19 year old
 
Normalizes promiscuous behavior and under age drinking
Boy zips pants and puts on a shirt after making out with a girl who is not his girlfriend. A boy is staggering drunk and a girl is passed out drunk after drinking out of a plastic cup at a party of beautiful teens. Evidence shows that kids who view sexual themes and alcohol used in risk-free enjoyable ways are more likely to try out these behaviors. If the real-life consequences of these characters' actions are coming in a later episodes, the massage is lost on tween audiences.

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About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age