Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Malala-inspired series shows girls' diverse experiences.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Roll Call
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
ROLL CALL introduces viewers to eight girls and young women from different countries who share their experiences and passions in self-recorded videos. The subjects talk about the issues that are important to them, including furthering female involvement in STEM fields and embracing the immigrant experience.
Is It Any Good?
The show's stars hail from Mexico, Pakistan, and Nigeria, among other countries, and the content in each episode varies greatly, but the central themes of empowerment and determination remain constant. That's not surprising, given the involvement of activist and Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, of course, but the shorts are devoted entirely to the girls themselves, who tell their stories in their own words and at their own pace.
Roll Call's compelling content is worthwhile for kids -- and girls in particular -- because of its ability to inspire and motivate. In some cases the girls' experiences might be upsetting to sensitive viewers, as in the case of one who witnessed genocide. Often the show's brief format also leaves you wanting more than the five-minute runtime allows, which can be frustrating. Ultimately, though, what stays with you after the stories end is the incredible resilience and determination of the young subjects themselves.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the value of character strengths like resilience and determination. How do they help you overcome challenges and weather difficult times? Are these areas in which you are particularly strong?
Kids: Who are some of your role models? What about them inspires you to look up to them? How does having strong role models help keep us focused on positive and constructive behavior? Can negative role models be helpful as well?
What commonalities do the young women in Roll Call share? How do their differences reflect their diverse experiences? Why is it important to respect diversity of race, creed, and opinion?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 23, 2019
- Network : YouTube
- Genre : Reality TV
- Topics : STEM
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
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