Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen's quest for donor dad raises timely talking points.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Breeanna is a teen on a mission to locate the anonymous sperm donor who accounts for half of her DNA and is her connection to the at least 15 half-siblings she's found via the Donor Sibling Registry, a nonprofit organization that facilitates communication between offspring of a mutual donor. GENERATION CRYO chronicles Breeanna's cross-country journeys to meet her new half-brothers and -sisters and their families and, hopefully, to identify their missing link, Donor #1096. Along the way she discovers that not everyone shares her desire to meet the man who fathered these 16 teens and young adults and that raising this issue reopens old wounds for some of these parents and offspring. But, with her determination and the help of this new extended family, Breeanna might just get her chance to have all her questions answered.
Is It Any Good?
Generation Cryo follows Breeanna as she pieces together clues to her full biological identity. As you would imagine, it's neither a quick nor an easy journey, and, with every new connection she makes to half-siblings and their families, more questions arise about her motivations and the possible outcome of her quest. Some, like twins Hilit and Jonah, have no interest in coming face-to-face with Donor #1096; for others, like Jesse, Breeanna's quest touches a nerve about how they view themselves and their places within their own family structures. Their personal journey makes for riveting entertainment, but whether the emotional fallout is worth the ultimate prize for everyone involved is yet to be seen.
Beyond the issue of donation and artificial insemination, Generation Cryo touches on broader concepts in thoughtful ways as well. What defines a family? What role, if any, does DNA play in that definition? Where do the parents with no biological connection to their children fit in to this new dynamic? And, as Breeanna's quest brings her closer to learning the identity of her donor father, a big question emerges: Is there such a thing as anonymity in today's culture? As donor children come of age in greater numbers and have unprecedented access to information on the Internet, these are issues with which many will wrestle.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the family structure. What criteria do you use to define your family? Is yours a "traditional" picture of a family? Does such a thing exist anymore?
Teens: Do you think you would share Breeanna's desire for information if you were in her shoes? Would you feel differently if your family structure was different, as is Jonah and Hilit's? How do you think the donor will feel if/when Breeanna finds him? Is this show an argument for or against the donation process?
If not for the internet, would this kind of quest be possible? What are the advantages to having so much information at our fingertips? Are there disadvantages? What steps can you take to safeguard your privacy to some degree?
TV Details
- Premiere date : November 25, 2013
- Network : MTV
- Genre : Reality TV
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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