Parents' Guide to

Super Sema

By Polly Conway, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Fun Africa-set STEM superhero series has great role models.

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The show's tone is light and buoyant, and Sema's cheerful spirit and can-do attitude are infectious. As the theme song states, Sema is a "maker, creator, and techno-vator," and while her STEAM-based solutions aren't always totally realistic (trees can't really grow overnight), her quick mind and ingenuity are just as important for kids to witness. Equally important is the futuristic African setting and the colorful community of Dunia itself, beautifully rendered here by Nairobi-based media company Kukua, along with executive producer Lupita Nyong'o, who's also Kenyan. Cultural traditions and activities like dance and football are seamlessly sewn into Sema's adventures, and Dunia shares more than a passing similarity to Black Panther's Wakanda. For such a brief show, Super Sema brings a part of the world that's not always shown in a positive light to joyful life.

The five-minute episodes move pretty fast plot-wise but usually don't feel rushed. That said, it would be fun to get a little more fleshed-out Sema time and to learn about some of the supporting characters, like her grandfather, Baba, who's raising Sema and MB himself. Tobor's goal of AI triumphing over humanity is also a little complex in a world that otherwise supports technology, and his character (who's missing a heart) does recall the "disabled villain" stereotype of someone who will destroy others in order to be "made whole." But families who love STEAM and adventure will love spending time with Super Sema.

TV Details

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