Tiny Pretty Things

TV review by Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media
Tiny Pretty Things Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 16+

Book-based dance drama has sex, violence, bullying.

Netflix Drama 2020
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Parents say

age 17+

Based on 13 reviews

Kids say

age 16+

Based on 25 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Tiny Pretty Things is a series about a prestigious ballet school and the young dancers who study there. Mature content is frequent, including self-harm and many references to eating disorders: Dancers have their eating and bodies monitored and are criticized for being too thin or not thin enough. Other violent content includes a scene in which a dancer does a routine along the edge of a building; soon afterward, she slips or is pushed off the building. We see her hit the ground but only see blood in a faint stain later. Sexual content is frequent and mature; we see characters nude from the back and side and heads dipping below the camera frame to perform oral sex. Expect same- and opposite-sex kissing, dating, sex, and lots of dancers in brief, tight costumes. Cursing includes "f--k," "f--king," "s--t," "damn," "tits," "hell," and "ass." Characters, including teens, drink at parties and act sloppy and aggressive. Authority figures are viciously critical, as are fellow dancers; bullying is frequent. The lead character of this drama is a Black ballet student, and the rest of the dancers are diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, and religion.

Community Reviews

blairwaldorf
blairwaldorf Adult
January 10, 2021
age 18+

Center Stage + Pretty Little Liars + Softcore porn

This is absolutely not for kids or teens. Adult fans of Center Stage, Gossip Girl, or Pretty Little Liars might like it. The frequent, graphic sex scenes are confusing because almost all of the partnerships consist of a) two minors or b) a minor and an adult. Some of them were actually uncomfortable to watch. I’m assuming because of the graphic nudity that the actors playing the 15-16 year olds are not actually minors. There are multiple sexual relationships between the teenage ballet students and adults, some of whom appear to be well into their 30s or beyond. Almost all of them are portrayed as consensual and unproblematic. Other topics include bulimia (in a male dancer, which was an interesting and unique take since eating disorders in men are underrepresented in the media), rape, murder, attempted murder, a teenager on life support, police brutality, teens being prostituted by an adult authority figure, drugs abuse by teens. The dancing in the show is beautiful and would probably appeal to teenage dancers, but the content is very much adult oriented.

This title has:

Too much sex
Austinjaypaz
Austinjaypaz Adult
December 29, 2020
age 18+

Underage sex

EVERY episode has UNDERAGE SEX scenes. UNDERAGE SEX scenes with 40 year olds. UNDERAGE, FULLY NAKED SEX SCENES. As a man watching this with my sister I can't help but to feel the intentional confusion these producers are sending out to society since we all know that having sex with a minor is ILLEGAL yet we have easy access to this? And WHO allowed this to be made and distributed? ALSO, it's a shame that actors actually are promoting this. ESPECIALLY THE WOMEN!!! AND I found it disturbing that whoever produced this is making sure to make it challenging to find any info on their age in the show but easy to find the actors age in real life.

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 13 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When a ballet student makes a fatal misstep and plunges off the top of a four-story building, Neveah Stroyer (Kylie Jefferson) gets a call: There's a space for her at Chicago's prestigious Archer Ballet School. Brilliantly talented Neveah is elated to get a chance to shoot her shot, but before she has finished her first day, she has made enemies, like Bette Whitlaw (Casimere Jollette), who was the undisputed leader at the school -- until Neveah walked in. Neveah doesn't have the right clothes, the right background, or the right training, but she does have at least one friend, loyal Shane (Brennan Clost), who's willing to show her the ropes -- even if he can't save her from the forces that conspire to bring Neveah down for good.

Is It Any Good?

The world of dance is deeply dramatic, and fairly ridiculous, in this overstuffed series simply heaving with dance drama clichés. The new girl everybody can't stop talking about, the threatened queen bee, the sadistic teachers, the tortured prima ballerina: There's all this and more. So much more. Of course, fans of dance stories look forward to some of the genre's clichés. What would a ballet story be without the competition between dancers and a big scandal everyone's whispering about backstage? The problem isn't that the tropes are there, it's that they're not done well, and Tiny Pretty Things feels shopworn instead of like a guilty pleasure.

The problems start with the writing, especially the overwrought dialogue. People don't talk this way, so, writers: Don't write them this way. And if you're thinking that said diva is being set up so that series lead Neveah can become the Next Amazing Thing that will threaten and perhaps even topple said diva's reign, well, you've probably watched a few dance dramas yourself, and can pretty much predict what's going to happen next at every twist and turn. If that doesn't turn you off, then maybe Tiny Pretty Things won't either.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about bullying. What instances of bullying exist in Tiny Pretty Things? Who bullies whom? What different forms can bullying take? Is any one form more or less harmful than another?

  • How does this drama compare to others you've seen about dancing and the dance world? What kinds of stereotypes does this show reinforce or challenge? Were you surprised at the levels of sexual content or the other mature content, including references to eating disorders and self-harm?

  • The cast of Tiny Pretty Things has some diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, and nationality, but not in body type, which forms a major subplot on this series. Must dancers always have a certain body type? Why? What harm does this requirement cause to the dancers in this show? In real life?

TV Details

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