Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Irreverent, raunchy Gen Z Aussie parody misses the mark.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Why Are You Like This
What's the Story?
WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS is an Australian series about a trio of 20-something Gen Z friends living in Melbourne. Mia (Olivia Junkeer) has a hard time holding down a job, while her best friend, Penny (Naomi Higgins), works as the only coder at a software company. Their buddy Austin (Will King) is drag performer. The trio's lives are full of ups and downs as they work, play, and have wild nights, but together they negotiate it all.
Is It Any Good?
The edgy series uses irreverent humor to poke fun at the "wokeness" of 20-somethings, and the three leads' social-media soaked, outrageously narcissistic attitude is almost too hard to watch. Penny, Austin, and (especially) Mia frequently reveal a self-righteousness through which they point out other people's nihilism and try to bully them for it, without a shred of self-awareness.
The discomfort the characters' behavior creates is the series' goal -- and it hammers home its point. When watching it in this context, Why Are You Like This makes sense, but that doesn't make up for the writing, which lacks the sharpness necessary for a good parody. Instead, it creates moments that just seem excessively rude, and the characters' antics feel less funny and more contemptible. Most viewers won't have the patience (or desire) to stick with it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about satires. What's the intent behind them? What's the difference between a parody and a satire? At what point does a satire go too far?
What points do you think the creators of Why Are You Like This are making about 20-somethings? Could their points have been made without so much swearing or so much inappropriate behavior? Or is that part of what makes it a comedy?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 16, 2021
- Cast : Naomi Higgins , Olivia Junkeer , Will King
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : January 26, 2022
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