Parents' Guide to Trinkets

With appealing actors and relatable storylines, this series scores by treating its characters' concerns seriously, without descending into the mopiness that plagues some shows. In Trinkets, Tabitha, Moe, and Elodie have issues, true—the Shoplifters Anonymous meetings may have clued you in—with romantic partners, friends, and parents who hand them hassles. But their friendship, though it begins contentiously, soon emerges as something strong and supportive that each can rely on to carry them through their (many) difficult moments. It's a framework that teen viewers, who probably have their own monumentally important friendships, will likely find engaging.

The sensitive writing is Trinkets' best feature, demonstrating an uncanny grasp of how adolescents show acceptance and, more often, contempt. As the new kid in town, Elodie is subject to plenty of the latter: As she walks through the hallways of her new school gazing wistfully at peers who refuse to gaze back, viewers might be forgiven for wincing in pained recognition. Other things about this show go down easily, too. The cast's clothing is casual, hairstyles and makeup are realistic, the locations look real—and since Trinkets is filmed, not just set, in Portland, Oregon, that setting takes on a naturalistic air that adds to the show's authenticity. The trio of main characters feel like teens you might know, or at least ones you want to hang out with for a few fast-moving episodes.