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Parents' Guide to

Alone Together

By Jenny Nixon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Underwhelming sitcom centers on platonic millennial BFFs.

TV Freeform Comedy 2018
Alone Together Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 2 parent reviews

carriebearie1950
carriebearie1950 Adult
July 24, 2018
age 18+

Seriously

Don't even bother
Helen M.
Helen M. Adult
January 15, 2018
age 16+

Not terrible, but not great either...

I went into this assuming I would hate it, and I was.... not wrong. This weird, hipster-y love child of all teen-sitcoms from the 90s, and every millennial stereotype ever spawned occasionally delivers mild chuckles...but comes across more like a long conversation between the two main characters, rather than an actual show. The supporting cast are very painfully only there to 'support' and every interaction outside of Benji and Esther (if there even are any) is used as an avenue to set the stage for the very heavily implied romantic relationship that is sure to blossom between them. Benji and Esther's dialogue as well is rather predictable and every situation is an opportunity to either a)talk about their self-deprecating tendencies (which are very NOT body-positive), or b)verbalize their frustrations about not being 'cool kids'. On that note, parents should be aware that these kids are SUPES depressed, and are trying to act like they don't care, but they do. They REALLY do. As a result, things can get rather depressing really fast. Parents, also be aware that the dialogue contains the typical teen-related language like orgasms, sexual acts, bodily fluids, penis-jokes, etc. The sexual situations are generally only addressed via dialogue, so no acts are shown, though they may be discussed rather graphically.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Middle-class, underemployed Esther and gluten-hating trust funder Benji are a couple of 20-somethings who are trying to make their way ALONE TOGETHER in the image-obsessed world of Los Angeles. Just don't ask if they're dating: The two are strictly platonic friends, as they're quick to remind nearly everyone they meet (whether they've been asked or not).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Millennials get a bad rap in the media -- is there an aspect of society they haven't been blamed for yet? -- and this superficial show isn't likely to change any minds on that front. Esther and Benji are supposed to be aspiring comics, yet we never see any real evidence of their ambition or talent in that regard. We also don't get a sense of why these people are friends or what they have in common, aside from disliking some of the same things, and that's a shtick that wears thin fast. Their misadventures, like waiting in line to buy a popular product or accidentally dating an escort, are fairly stale sitcom scenarios, though Esther Povitsky does inspire the occasional chuckle with her line readings. Overall, Alone Together is an underwhelming retread of material that's been done before, and done better.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the way friendship is portrayed in Alone Together. What draws Esther and Benji together? Does their friendship seem like it's well-balanced, or does one friend take more than he or she gives?

  • A lot of sitcoms play with the "will they or won't they" question between friends. Does it seem like Esther and Benji are destined to become a couple? Why or why not?

TV Details

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 suggesting a diversity update.

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