Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Relatable teen dramedy centers on a solid female friendship.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Alexa & Katie
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 40 parent reviews
Parents say this TV show provides a heartwarming depiction of friendship and perseverance in the face of serious topics like cancer and anxiety, resonating positively with many families. However, some parents feel the content may be too heavy for younger viewers, citing themes of peer pressure and casual alcohol use, which could be concerning for sensitive children.
- positive portrayal
- heavy themes
- good friendship
- age-appropriate
- good role models
Summarized with AI
Based on 154 kid reviews
Kids say the show is a heartfelt and inspirational take on friendship, centered around two girls navigating life's challenges, including cancer. Viewers find it both funny and relatable, emphasizing positive messages about support and strength, though some express concerns about the portrayal of serious topics like illness and teenage rebellion.
- friendship focus
- positive messages
- relatable humor
- cancer representation
- age appropriate
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
It's hard enough starting out as a freshman in high school. But to make things even scarier, ALEXA & KATIE have secrets: Alexa (Paris Berelc) has cancer, and Katie (Isabel May) isn't sure how to be there for her longtime best friend and is terrified she's going to lose her. But time waits for no girl, and so these two teens have to face what comes -- together. Tiffani Thiessen stars as Alexa's scared-but-supportive mom.
Is It Any Good?
With a sweet teen-soap tone that lightens up the heaviness of a main character in cancer treatment, this dramedy goes down easier than you'd expect. Supportive (and believable!) female friendships are rare on TV; more often than not, female characters are in competition or just co-existing on the same screen. So when Alexa and Katie show their friendship in tangible ways, like when Katie shaves her head in solidarity with Alexa's chemo hair loss, or when Alexa tags a sign "Alexa + K8tie 4ever," viewers with their own real-life sisterly friendships will feel a tingle of recognition -- and the thrill of seeing part of themselves represented.
When other characters show up on the screen, things are a little less fresh. Alexa has a mean-girls rivalry with classmate Gwenny Thompson (Kerri Medders); Alexa's brother Lucas (Emery Kelly) is a textbook big-brother hunk who Katie predictably pines over; the girls' parents are more types than people and they don't speak, they quip. The show's visuals, too, have a bright and artificial look that may remind some viewers of Disney Channel sitcoms -- fittingly, since creator Heather Wordham worked on Hannah Montana. Alexa & Katie, like Montana, is a sanitized but better-than-it-has-to-be series for tweens -- if you have some at your house, see what they think.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Alexa's fear that her peers will react differently to her when they find out she has cancer. How can we be true to ourselves and also feel like we're fitting in and part of a peer group? What would you do in Alexa's shoes? Would you feel the same urgency to keep your illness secret?
Families can talk about how friends relate to each other. Kids: Do you think the characters' relationships in Alexa & Katie are realistic? If you have a best friend or a group of friends, how are the show's characters similar to you and friend? How are they different?
How do the characters on Alexa & Katie demonstrate compassion and empathy? Why are those important character strengths?
Kids: What do Alexa and Katie do to model compassion or to show kindness and caring? What are some ways that you show your kindness and caring? How can you grow or better show your compassion -- can you think of more people you can show concern for or more ways that you can help out? For example, are there any kids in your school who could use a good friend? What kindness could you show them?
TV Details
- Premiere date : March 23, 2018
- Cast : Tiffani Thiessen , Paris Berelc , Isabel May
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Friendship
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Empathy
- TV rating :
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : February 8, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate