Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Genius-teen-turned-teacher tale has merit for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 42 kid reviews
Kids say the show is a mix of humor and troubling themes, with many reviews highlighting racism and sexual innuendos that are inappropriate for younger audiences. While some fans appreciate its nostalgic value and comedic moments, a significant number of viewers criticize the racial stereotypes and questionable relationships depicted in the show, leading to divided opinions on its suitability for children.
- racism issues
- adult themes
- mixed reviews
- nostalgia factor
- inappropriate content
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In MR. YOUNG, child genius Adam Young (Brendan Meyer) returns to his neighborhood high school as a science teacher after graduating from college in his early teens. Bypassing job opportunities with big-name companies and NASA, Adam finds himself across the desk from his best friend, Derby (Gig Morton), and his longtime crush, Echo (Matreya Fedo), which presents some unique social uncertainties for the underage teacher, who feels out of place among his professional colleagues as well. What's more, Adam's position makes him an authority figure at his older sister's (Emily Tennant) school, and the resident rabble-rouser, Slab (Kurt Ostland), takes pleasure in causing a ruckus in his presence. Add to that a jolly but naive principle (Milo Shandel) and a wacky history teacher (Paula Shaw), and there's no school quite like Finnegan High.
Is It Any Good?
This Canadian series caters to kids' sense of humor with its clever spin on the dime-a-dozen school-set comedies. Showing teen life through the eyes of a barely post-pubescent teacher highlights its ups and downs in a unique way. Adam's struggles to fit in with his friends and his professional colleagues are reminiscent of many instances of social uncertainty for kids. Of course, the fact that he's caught between two opposing worlds makes for some funny circumstances, which will keep kids wanting to come back.
Content-wise, Mr. Young is fairly worry-free, but there's an unstated issue that surrounds Adam's attempts to woo Echo. When it comes down to it, despite their identical ages, he's a teacher in romantic pursuit of a student. It's unlikely that kids will make the connection between the show and this sensitive real-world concept, but parents might. That said, the show does a surprisingly good job of incorporating solid aspects of history, science, and literature into many of the stories, all in a manner that makes the content more fun than forced learning.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about relationships. How are you different from your closest friends? Are there activities or subjects in which you perform better than they do? What are their strengths? Do these (or other) differences ever cause problems among you?
Tweens: What are your career goals? How do those reflect your unique skills? What expertise will you need to acquire before you can fulfill those goals? What satisfaction do you hope to take from your job?
Are you aware of any stereotyping among this show's characters? How can stereotypes be a basis for comedy? Where should the line be drawn between acceptable and offensive stereotyping in entertainment?
TV Details
- Premiere date : March 1, 2011
- Cast : Brendan Meyer , Gig Morton , Matreya Fedor
- Network : Disney XD
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
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