Common Sense Media Announces Winter 2019–2020 Common Sense Selection Honorees
New streaming services capture recognition.
SAN FRANCISCO, February 6, 2020—As parents and educators continue to seek out quality media for kids amid a dizzying flurry of choices, Common Sense Media has designated 29 new TV series and specials as Common Sense Selections, with the new streaming services of Disney+ and Apple TV+ capturing recognition.
Five shows on Disney+ and seven on Apple TV+ were given the special designation. Series and specials that debuted between October 2019 and January 2020 were eligible.
The Common Sense seal program was originally developed to recognize outstanding movies, TV series, and TV specials with an official seal. Whenever you see the new and improved Common Sense Selection seal, you can trust that the content is not only age-appropriate but has the potential to spark family conversations, entertain families of all kinds, and have a positive, lasting impact on society.
Prominent themes among the 29 new series and specials that have received the designation include empathy, perseverance, curiosity, compassion, and teamwork. Highlights include:
- Four series on the newly launched Apple TV+: Ghostwriter, Helpsters, Little America, and Snoopy in Space. Ghostwriter is a reboot of the classic '90s series that brings book characters to life, promoting literacy and a love of books in a fresh, fun way. Helpsters introduces preschoolers to friendly monster puppets who help kids learn to solve problems with critical-thinking skills. Snoopy in Space gives kids lots of facts about NASA and space exploration from familiar Peanuts characters.
- Series that are great for families of teens include Little America (12+) on Apple TV+, Party of Five (13+) on Freeform, Star Trek: Picard on CBS All Access (13+), and Cheer on Netflix (14+). Party of Five and Little America give families with teens lots to talk about, including the American immigrant experience, courage and compassion, and why it's important to hear and see diverse voices on TV. In the same vein, Star Trek: Picard explores similar issues in a sci-fi future where humans and aliens are still working to create a peaceful galaxy. The community college athletes of Cheer show perseverance and teamwork at its best.
- Five Disney+ series are receiving the designation, including Encore!, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Forky Asks a Question, and Marvel's Hero Project, which received 5 stars and top marks for positive messages as well as positive role models and representations by showcasing young, real-life "superheroes" who go above and beyond to make the world a better place. Encore! and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series introduce a new generation to the exciting world of the performing arts, where teamwork and respect are valuable strengths.
The full list of the winter 2019-2020 Common Sense Selections for TV is below:
PREMIERE DATE
TITLE
TYPE
AGE
NETWORK/PLATFORM
10/1/2019
Kid President: Are We There Yet
series
8
Soul Pancake
10/4/2019
Raising Dion
series
11
Netflix
10/5/2019
Super Monsters: Vida's First Halloween
TV special
4
Netflix
10/14/2019
The Casagrandes
series
7
Nickelodeon
10/25/2020
If You Give a Mouse a Pumpkin
TV special
3
Amazon Prime Video
11/1/2019
Ghostwriter
series
8
Apple TV+
11/1/2019
Helpsters
series
4
Apple TV+
11/1/2019
Snoopy in Space
series
4
Apple TV+
11/1/2019
True: Grabbleapple Harvest
TV special
4
Netflix
11/8/2019
The Rocketeer
series
4
Disney Junior
11/11/2019
Blue's Clues & You
series
3
Nickelodeon
11/12/2019
Encore!
series
10
Disney+
11/12/2019
Forky Asks a Question
series
4
Disney+
11/12/2019
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
series
10
Disney+
11/12/2019
Marvel's Hero Project
series
10
Disney+
11/22/2019
Costume Quest: Heroes on Holiday
series
8
Amazon Prime Video
11/26/2019
True Winter Wishes
series
4
Netflix
12/3/2019
How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming
TV special
7
NBC
12/6/2019
Clifford the Big Red Dog
series
3
PBS Kids
12/6/2019
Pick of the Litter
series
7
Disney+
12/7/2019
Steven Universe: Future
series
10
Cartoon Network
12/18/2019
The Age of AI
series
11
YouTube Premium
1/4/2020
Go! Go! Cory Carson
series
4
Netflix
1/8/2020
Cheer
series
14
Netflix
1/8/2020
Party of Five
series
13
Freeform
1/10/2020
The Owl House
series
8
Disney Channel
1/14/2020
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
series
7
Netflix
1/17/2020
Little America
series
12
Apple TV+
1/23/2020
Star Trek: Picard
series
13
CBS All Access
###
About the Common Sense Selection seal
Common Sense 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 Media has applied these ratings to more than 33,000 reviews of movies, TV shows, and other media since the organization was founded in 2003 and has honored 233 films and 321 series/specials to date. More information is available at https://www.commonsensemedia.org/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.
Press Contacts:
Cassandra Matter
[email protected]
(408) 960-5115
Christine Tasto
[email protected]
310)-341-5159