On My Block
By Joyce Slaton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
South Central teens come of age in delicate, moving series.

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On My Block
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Not for young teens
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What's the Story?
Set in gritty South Central Los Angeles, ON MY BLOCK follows the lives of four loyal friends: Monse (Sierra Capri), Jamal (Brett Gray), Ruby (Jason Genao), and Caesar (Diego Tinoco). Since childhood, they've been able to rely on each other. But as high school looms, they fear both for their own adult future and the survival of the friendship. Raised in a neighborhood where chaos reigns and few escape a life of poverty and/or crime, big dreams have a way of fizzling out. But if the four of them are going to survive and thrive, they're going to have to find a way to get through it -- hopefully together.
Is It Any Good?
Delicate, deeply felt, and painfully realistic, this look at a group of four friends from a rough Los Angeles neighborhood is a bittersweet delight. Ruby, Cesar, Monse, and Jamal don't exactly have it easy in On My Block. Gunfire is so common in their South Central stomping grounds that the friends have made a game out of trying to figure out the caliber of the gun just from the sound. Friends and family members die by gun violence or suicide, and loved ones are left to grapple with the trauma. Still, the four friends have found tenderness between them, and they've relied on each other since childhood.
But now things are changing, and each of the four has big problems. Cesar's brother Oscar (Julio Macias) is out of jail, and he's pressuring his baby brother to join the gang. Jamal doesn't want to play football like his sports-legend father expects. Ruby's grandmother's apartment gets flooded, and she has to share Ruby's bedroom. Monse's writing talent might not be enough to help her get to college and make some kind of future for herself. Maybe even tougher: The friends are starting high school, where they have to stick together to survive. That's not easy, either. But in the world they live in, a friend who stands by you when times are tough may be the only thing these lovable, street-smart teens can rely on.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about On My Block's violence. Does it seem believable? Scary? Do different types of movie violence have different effects on kids? Is it unusual to see this level of violence in a show about teens? What part do you think these teens' neighborhood plays in the violence that surrounds them?
Why do you think drinking, smoking, and drugs are so prevalent in this series? Are they glamorized? How much of a role do substances play in this story? Is this show's depiction of drinking, smoking, and drugs realistic?
How do Ruby, Monse, Jamal, and Caesar demonstrate empathy and teamwork in their lives? Why are these important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date: March 16, 2018
- Cast: Diego Tinoco, Julian Lerma, Sierra Capri, Brett Gray
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Drama
- Character Strengths: Empathy, Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-14
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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