So Awkward
By Joyce Slaton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Middle school-set series is relatable fun for young viewers.
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What's the Story?
Lily Hampton (Cleo Demetriou), Jas Salford (Ameerah Falzon-Ojo), and Martha Fitzgerald (Sophia Dall'aglio) are at an age when they feel SO AWKWARD. They're not sure where they fit in socially at school. Boys are a complete mystery. And parents are just so embarrassing, even (especially?) when they mean well. But at least they have good friends to rely on and muddle through with somehow.
Is It Any Good?
Most people would agree that middle school is an awkward time, but the worse things are for Martha, Jas, and Lily, the more viewers will enjoy watching. The problems these British middle-graders face are so relatable: clueless parents, capricious school administrators, teasing classmates. There are comet-watching parties, and PE classes, and fake curses that make a team lose a hockey game. It's all so gentle, innocent, and charming that parents will be delighted to put this show on for their kids -- and elementary-schoolers will eagerly watch, hoping that So Awkward gives them a preview of what tweenhood will be like.
It sure helps that the actors playing students are actually young and playing their age; they're not teens, or worse, 20-somethings pretending to be teens. Like real kids, these actors are unpolished and green: They clump down school hallways, they say the wrong thing at the wrong time, they roll their eyes when their embarrassing mother shows up and tells childhood stories. And like real kids, they're terribly sweet and easy to root for. They wear the dumb sweaters Mom knitted, they give every challenge their all, they fail and struggle and get up and try again. Middle school may not have been a great stage to live through, but viewed through the lens of this delightful series, it's lots of fun to watch.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how So Awkward's British heritage makes it different from an American-made show. Do the characters look or sound different from American students of the same age? Do they have the same or different concerns? Are the school and its teachers different?
Why are schools a common setting for shows about young people? Are they similar to shows about adults that are set in workplaces? Why does a setting where many people come together make for a relatable or compelling framework for a series?
How do characters in So Awkward demonstrate communication and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 17, 2015
- Cast: Sophie Skelton, Cleo Demetriou, Ameerah Falzon-Ojo
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Drama
- Character Strengths: Communication, Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: February 27, 2022
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