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Guidance
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The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Guidance is a teen series about a school guidance counselor and her students. It features stories centering around bullying and other conflicts high school kids face every day. It contains some rough language ("slut," "hell," "damn"), there’s some strong innuendo, and underage drinking is sometimes visible. School shootings, beatings, and hit and runs are alluded to, and sometimes bloody wounds are visible. It also offers important messages about negative behaviors, and has some teachable moments that teens may respond to.
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What's the story?
GUIDANCE is a dramatic teen-oriented web series about high school bullying, and how people cope with it, through the eyes of the school’s guidance counselor. When risqué photographs of Miriam (Amanda Steele) circulate among the student body thanks to an innovative app, school guidance counselor Anna (Michelle Trachtenberg), tries to help Miriam cope with the bullying. She also spends time talking to various members of the student body, ranging from academic overachievers, popular guys, and social outlets in an attempt to figure out who is responsible. Throughout it all, she tries to come to terms with her own personal issues.
Is it any good?
The compelling drama, which is produced by Michelle Trachtenberg, features original stories that involve bullying behavior of some kind. Each of its three seasons generates a different storyline, and stars a completely different cast, including folks like Erica Dasher and Monique Coleman. But they all pointedly highlight how damaging bullying is, and the far-reaching consequences it has on others.
The content gets a little edgier with each season. However, it is the timeliness of the narratives, which involve cyberbullying, school shootings, and peer shaming (among other things), that makes Guidance interesting and relevant. If you’re looking for a smart series that entertains and addresses important topics, this one is worth checking out.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about bullying. What is the difference between just bothering someone and bullying? Is cyberbullying really a crime? If you or someone you know is being bullied, what should you do?
What kinds of life lessons does Guidance offer viewers? Does everyone pay a price for their negative actions? Why?
TV details
- Premiere date: October 18, 2015
- Cast: Michelle Trachtenberg, Amanda Steele, Monique Coleman
- Network: Hulu
- Genre: Drama
- Character Strengths: Compassion
- TV rating: TV-14
- Available on: Streaming
Character Strengths
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.