Parents' Guide to Victorious

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Common Sense Media Review

Emily Ashby By Emily Ashby , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 8+

Upbeat iCarly-like tween comedy promotes confidence.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 8+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 10+

Based on 105 parent reviews

age 9+

Based on 469 kid reviews

Kids say that the show combines humor and music with elements that may be too mature for younger viewers, such as sexual innuendos and kissing scenes. While many find it entertaining, concerns are raised about the portrayal of relationships and some characters as bad role models, leading to a diverse range of opinions on its appropriateness for kids.

  • humor
  • maturity
  • role models
  • content concerns
  • entertainment value
  • relationships
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

In VICTORIOUS, Tori Vega (Victoria Justice) is used to living in the shadow of her older sister, Trina (Daniella Monet), a self-proclaimed star-in-training at a prestigious performing arts school. When an unexpected medical malady sends Tori onstage in her sister's place, she dazzles the crowd and earns a spot at Hollywood Arts High School. Being the new kid in school is never easy, but it's even more of a task fitting in with this eclectic group of artsy students and teachers. Lucky for Tori, she's got supportive new friends in Andre (Leon Thomas) and Cat (Ariana Grande), and even a "frenemy" in Jade (Elizabeth Gillies).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 105 ):
Kids say ( 469 ):

This series marks Justice's rise from a successful supporting role in Zoey 101 to center stage; and, like her TV counterpart, she's worthy of the promotion. Tweens and younger teens will find much to like in Victorious -- original music, dance, plenty of mild teen drama -- and the fact that Tori always emerges with unwavering self-assurance sends positive vibes to impressionable viewers.

This upbeat comedy's glaring pitfall is its reliance on stereotypes: Each character stands for one type (the "mean girl," the "geek"), and gender- and race-based jokes are common. The show also over-promotes its (now defunct) partner social networking website, TheSlap.com. At the very least, though, that gives parents a good reason to talk with their kids about using social media in a safe, healthy way.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about communicating through technology like they do in Victorious. How does social networking help you connect with friends? Are there any drawbacks to this? What are some basic things teens should know about social media?

  • How do Tori and her friends demonstrate courage and perseverance when pursuing their goals? Why are those important character strengths?

  • How do you face new challenges? Who are the people you lean on when you need support?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

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What to Watch Next

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