Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
BFF time-travel comedy is sweet but uninspiring.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Best Friends Whenever
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
Based on 43 kid reviews
Kids say the show has a mix of opinions, with many praising its creativity and fun characters while others find it boring and poorly executed, often comparing it unfavorably to other Disney shows. The time travel concept and themes of friendship resonate with some viewers, but complaints about weak acting, lack of humor, and cringeworthy moments persist, leading to a divided reception among audiences.
- creative storyline
- fun characters
- weak acting
- divided opinions
- friendship themes
- not for teens
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In BEST FRIENDS WHENEVER, an invention mishap gives BFFs Cyd (Landry Bender) and Shelby (Lauren Taylor) the power to travel through time, allowing them to glimpse the future and repeat events with a mere thought of the past. This comes in handy whenever a do-over is in order, but it's not an exact science, so the results are unpredictable at best. As they time-hop at will (and sometimes against their will), their inventor friend Barry (Gus Kamp) attempts to replicate the accidental circumstances that gave the girls their power in the first place.
Is It Any Good?
Best Friends Whenever doesn't break any new ground with its fantasy-based story line, but it does offer pleasant sentiments about the unifying nature of friendship. Shelby and Cyd are polar opposites on paper, but somehow they make their relationship work. As the story develops, we see that there's no force strong enough to unravel it for long, and that's saying something given the complications time travel raises.
Disney's Crash and Bernstein alum Bender will bring some existing fans to this show. Others will enjoy the comical implications of the girls' attempts at fixing past mistakes, which usually wind up complicating the situations even more. Ultimately there's not a lot to be gained by watching, but since it's standard squeaky-clean Disney fare, there's little concern for kids.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether Cyd and Shelby's ability to travel through time solves all their problems or raises new ones. Do their attempts to fix past mistakes always make things better? What do they learn from their experiences?
Why are adults mostly absent from this series? Are any of the teenage characters good role models? If so, why?
Kids: Are you more likely to watch a new show or buy a certain product if a familiar star is involved with it? Do you think that your preferences are influenced by what you see in the media? Is this a good or a bad thing, or is it just a fact of life?
TV Details
- Premiere date : June 26, 2015
- Cast : Landry Bender , Lauren Taylor , Gus Kamp
- Network : Disney Channel
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Friendship , School ( High School )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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