Common Sense Media Review
By Megan Andersen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Musician performs for prisoners in solid docuseries.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Melissa Etheridge: I'm Not Broken
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
MELISSA ETHERIDGE: I'M NOT BROKEN is about singer Melissa Etheridge holding a concert at the Topeka Correctional Facility for its female inmates. She connects on a personal level with them, reading their letters and meeting with them before performing. Through the series, details are revealed about Melissa's life, the loss of her son, and the struggles and experiences the inmates have had.
Is It Any Good?
This series is as much a music documentary as it is a profile on humanity. Throughout Melissa Etheridge: I'm Not Broken, viewers become familiar with the imprisoned women, first through the intimate letters they write to Melissa and then through their vulnerable roundtable discussions with her. Many of the details they share—about being mothers, being trapped in toxic relationships, getting caught in the wrong place at the wrong time—all feel extremely human and relatable. Melissa herself shares her own experiences with loss and the law. Each viewer's takeaway will be their own, but it does feel like valuable viewing for older teens and parents.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the variety of women in prison and how, at their core, they are all people who made mistakes. Are there mistakes you or members of your family have made that need forgiveness or work to correct? How did that feel? Do those mistakes define you?
Many of the women have developed hobbies like crochet, journaling, and gardening while in prison. Do you share any of the hobbies with the inmates? Are there any other similarities between them and you and your family?
Melissa Etheridge reads all of the letters from the inmates, gets informed on how best to communicate with them, meets them personally, and gives them a concert to help make them feel more "normal." Have you ever done something, even a small gesture, for someone else in need? What was that experience like?
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 9, 2024
- Cast : Melissa Etheridge
- Network : Paramount+
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : February 20, 2025
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