Backstage

This scripted series doesn't really break new ground with a premise that smacks of Fame -- movie, remake, and TV series. The drama is palpable in scenes that show high-achieving teens competing in performance as well as socially, and you'll pick out the kids you want to root for (and a few you'd kind of like to see stumble) pretty quickly. By adding individual confessionals to the content, the show offers viewers insight into the characters' thoughts and feelings while attempting to bridge the gap between drama and pseudo-reality series, but it's disruptive to the flow of the story.

On the other hand, Backstage does touch on many issues that are worthwhile for kids, provided they're fully explored by parents with them. The show illustrates both the positive and the negative effects of competition, from coming out on top to coping with disappointment. Many of the characters -- especially Carly and Vanessa, who arrive at the school as friends -- must deal with the polarizing emotions of those same circumstances when they affect relationships. In other cases, just persevering is a significant victory, as Alya discovers. While not all of the characters' actions impress all of the time, there is something to be learned from every circumstance they face, and that's a good thing.