Common Sense Media Announces Common Sense Seal TV Honorees for Fall/Winter 2018
Strong Female Role Models and Junior Versions of Popular Competition Shows Dominate New Honorees
SAN FRANCISCO, December 10, 2018—Every year, more than 80 million parents and caregivers turn to Common Sense Media to discover the best movies, television shows, books, games, apps, and websites for kids to watch, read, and play. Today the nonprofit organization announced its newest honorees to receive the Common Sense Seal for TV. The editorial team screened 235 series and specials that premiered between May 4, 2018, and November 10, 2018, to recognize exceptional media content for families to enjoy together. This list is particularly timely during the holiday season while kids are on school break.
The 42 shows added to the list come from an array of networks, including HBO, Disney, and Animal Planet. Netflix, however, tops the list, with 14 of the 42 new honorees premiering on its platform.
In the era of #MeToo, strong female role models on TV are an ongoing topic of discussion, and this batch of honorees includes shows that feature a variety of admirable girls and women. Some of these female protagonists have roots in other media, including comic books and fiction, like Hala from Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors (Disney) and Anne from Anne of Green Gables: Fire and Dew (PBS). Meanwhile, other female TV characters are true originals, hailing from shows like Dragon Pilot (Netflix), Becca's Bunch (Nick Jr.), and Butterbean's Café (Nickelodeon). All of these characters stay true to themselves, displaying character strengths such as curiosity and empathy to model for kids.
"We've reached a golden age for quality content in TV for children of all ages," said Polly Conway, senior TV editor at Common Sense. "Today's programming brings strong role models and timely topics that are great as jumping-off points for important, timely discussions among families."
The Common Sense Seal for TV recognizes shows that are fantastic family viewing, as well as age-appropriate, educational, and inspirational. Competition shows, including two junior versions of adult favorites, American Ninja Warrior Junior (Universal Kids) and Dancing with the Stars Junior (ABC), are new additions to the list, as is Making It (NBC). Networks are investing in the concept of reality shows that appeal to the whole family.
The Common Sense Seal for TV was introduced in the fall of 2015. The seventh installment adds 42 titles that not only meet Common Sense Media's highest editorial standards for entertainment value and engagement but also deliver important themes, messages, and role models.
The 2018 Common Sense Seal for TV honorees are:
TITLE
NETWORK
AGE
PREMIERE DATE
Dancing with the Stars Junior
ABC
8
10/7/2018
The Kids Are Alright
ABC
11
10/16/2018
Pete the Cat
Amazon Prime Video
4
9/21/2018
Crikey! It's the Irwins
Animal Planet
8
10/28/2018
Summer Camp Island
Cartoon Network
9
7/7/2018
God Friended Me
CBS
11
9/30/2018
Girl Got Game
The CW
14
7/18/2018
Big City Greens
Disney
7
6/18/2018
Bug Juice: My Adventures at Camp
Disney
6
7/16/2018
Freaky Friday
Disney
6
8/10/2018
Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors
Disney
7
9/30/2018
Marvel Rising: Initiation
Disney XD
7
8/13/2018
DIY
Cartoon Network
5
6/7/2018
Esme & Roy
HBO
3
8/18/2018
When You Wish Upon a Pickle: A Sesame Street Movie
HBO
3
11/10/2018
Find Me In Paris
Hulu
10
8/10/2018
Making It
NBC
10
7/31/2018
Best Worst Weekend Ever
Netflix
12
10/19/2018
Brainchild
Netflix
7
11/2/2018
Cupcake and Dino: General Services
Netflix
7
7/27/2018
Dragon Pilot
Netflix
12
10/10/2018
The Dragon Prince
Netflix
10
9/14/2018
The Good Cop
Netflix
12
9/21/2018
Hilda
Netflix
6
9/21/2018
The Hollow
Netflix
10
6/8/2018
A Little Help
Netflix
6
5/4/2018
Lost Song
Netflix
12
10/5/2018
Treehouse Detectives
Netflix
4
6/8/2018
True: Magical Friends
Netflix
4
6/15/2018
True: Wonderful Wishes
Netflix
4
6/15/2018
The Who Was? Show
Netflix
7
5/10/2018
Butterbean's Cafe
Nick Jr.
4
11/7/2018
Rainbow Rangers
Nick Jr.
4
11/5/2018
Becca's Bunch
Nick Jr.
4
9/24/2018
Canticos
Nick Jr.
3
5/10/2018
Anne of Green Gables: Fire and Dew
PBS
8
9/23/2018
Kid Stew
PBS
8
5/6/2018
Little Women
PBS
9
5/13/2018
The Daniel Tiger Movie: Won't You Be My Neighbor
PBS Kids
3
9/17/2018
Warriors of Liberty City
Starz
14
9/16/2018
American Ninja Warrior Junior
Universal Kids
7
10/13/2018
The Big Fun Crafty Show
Universal Kids
5
5/14/2018
About the Common Sense Seal
Seal selections are determined by Common Sense Media's in-house team of seasoned reviewers, editors, and child-development experts based on our proven rubric for independent, age-based ratings. Common Sense has applied these ratings to more than 32,000 reviews of movies, TV shows, and other media since the organization was founded in 2003. The Common Sense Seal for TV, which is released each spring and fall, is an expansion of the Common Sense Seal initiative, which launched in October 2014 with a Seal for movies and has honored 187 films and specials to date. More information is available at /seal.
About Common Sense
Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Learn more at commonsense.org.