Parents' Guide to

Baxter

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Upbeat Canadian comedy is squeaky-clean fun for tweens.

TV Starz Kids and Family Comedy 2011
Baxter Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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What's the Story?

BAXTER is a Canadian comedy series about a group of students at the prestigious (but fictitious) Northern Star School of the Arts. The series starts with the arrival of new student and aspiring singer Baxter McNab (Evan Williams), whose efforts to keep the fact that his dad is the school's most famous alum under wraps are complicated by his friend Emma's (Holly Deveaux) desire to let the cat out of the bag. It isn't easy to find your niche among the likes of TV star Jenna (Tara Joshi), film entrepreneur Jackal (Dewshane Williams), and drama king Marcus (Kyle Mac), but Baxter can count on Emma, as well as fellow newcomers Tassie (Brittany Bristow) and Deven (Shannon Kook-Chun), to help him make his way.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This show's premise might remind some parents of the ‘80s hit Fame, but Baxter is pretty sanitized compared to that classic. The toughest issues these teens cope with are overcoming stage fright and emerging from a famous parent's shadow, so there's not a lot of substantial content to be drawn from the stories.

Of course, that alone isn't reason to exclude the show from your tweens' options. The vibrant characters and innocuous comedy are fun, as are the impromptu song-and-dance routines that are commonplace at a school for wannabe performers. What's more, there are some sweet messages about self-esteem, perseverance, and friendship, as well, and the glaring absence of any iffy content, so time spent with these characters certainly isn't a waste for tweens.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about ambition. What life goals do you have? Do you know what career you might like? What skills and education will you need to do the job? What rewards do you anticipate?

  • Tweens: What did you think of this show's portrayal of high school? Did any of it ring true with you? Do you think it gave an accurate impression of the issues with which teens cope? What aspects seemed exaggerated? How does its comical nature influence how it presents real-life issues?

  • What are some of your favorite American shows? Are there any noticeable differences between those and this Canadian one? If so, what? Do you think American series accurately represent our society? Are there any misconceptions that other cultures could draw from our TV series?

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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