Astrid & Lilly Save the World
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Astrid & Lilly Save the World
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Astrid & Lilly Save the World is a gory, limit-pushing teen comedy in the vein of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show's two protagonists, Astrid and Lilly, are a pair of brave, body-positive girls who are bullied for their physical appearance but figure out ways to build each other up and persevere while saving the world from over-the-top monsters. There's a lot of violence, blood, and gore; some has mildly sexual undertones (one monster refers to himself as "Daddy" and licks his victims' tears). The monsters' appearances are exaggerated for comedic effect, and the tone is more campy than intense, but the violence is graphic. When the monsters aren't around, Astrid and Lilly's classmates can be just as cruel -- verbally abusing and fat shaming them. There's lots of sexual banter, the show's teens kiss and grope each other, talk about wanting each other, dry humping, and masturbation. One of the teen's moms is over-the-top religious and comically explicit in her anti-sex views. As the season progresses, she becomes the ring leader of a demon-worshipping cult that sacrifices humans. Underaged teens, including the show's protagonists, drink at parties with no consequences. References are made to "party drugs" and one of the show's most likable characters refers to doing drugs regularly. There's also moderate profanity ("d--k," "bitch," "a--hole," etc.) as well as insults and put-downs like "dorks" and "pudge patrol."
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What's the Story?
The title characters in ASTRID & LILLY SAVE THE WORLD (Jana Morrison and Samantha Aucoin, respectively) are a pair of bullied high school students who accidentally open up a portal into a monster-filled dimension and have to save the planet from total destruction. The body-positive best friends already have their hands full trying to support each other and find a way to fit in with their often cruel classmates. Once the portal is open, they each develop extraordinary monster-detecting senses and meet a guide -- a demon that looks like a horned man named Brutus -- to the new dimension they opened. He informs them that only those in severe pain can open the portal (a reference to the near constant verbal abuse the girls suffer at the hands of classmates and family) and that they'll need to use their new superpowers to collect the various monster body parts required to close it. Will Astrid and Lilly be able to meet the challenge?
Is It Any Good?
The two friends make an endearing pair of irreverent heroes in this over-the-top tale of average teens learning to kick some serious monster butt. Buffy the Vampire Slayer clearly walked so Astrid & Lilly Save the World could run, and while there are many parallels between the shows' tone and storylines, the latter has one big advantage; the female gaze. The show moves past cliched heroines battling enemies in tight tops and short skirts, and chooses instead to shine its light on a pair of high school girls who face down fat-shaming in every facet of their lives and still manage to love themselves. Their inter-dimensional monster hunter mentor, Brutus, makes for a worthy addition as he guides the girls in harnessing their new powers and empowers them in a way only an outsider can. In an early episode he asks Astrid incredulously, "Who are these jerks at school? Of course you can get a boyfriend." His attempt to acclimate himself to the bizarre nature of their dimension (i.e., our world) is also refreshingly funny. Considering the crew of nasty characters featured, each 30-minute episode is surprisingly uplifting and fun. Older teens who can handle the raunchy humor, gore, and drug and alcohol references will find a lot to love.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how teens are portrayed in the media. A lot of shows and movies lean into the storyline of kids being bullied for being different at school. Why is that, and how does it compare to the real high school experience?
How do Astrid and Lilly deal with being bullied? Do they let it define them? How do they display perseverance and empathy? What other admirable traits do they possess?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 26, 2022
- Cast: Samantha Aucoin, Jana Morrison
- Network: Syfy
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Character Strengths: Empathy, Perseverance
- TV rating: NR
- Last updated: February 12, 2023
Our Editors Recommend
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Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Teen vampire series has female role model; sex, violence.
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Never Have I Ever
Drinking, language, sex talk in fresh, charming teen series.
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Easy A
Teen Scarlet Letter update is smart but risque.
For kids who love Sci-fi and laughs
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