You Ain't Got These
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You Ain't Got These
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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 You Ain't Got These is a documentary show that focuses on sneaker culture: why people collect and covet sneakers. Each 10-minute episode focuses on a particular aspect of the culture, how it evolved, and what it means. A lot of airtime is dedicated to the idea of sneakers (or fashion in general) as a status symbol, and some aspects of the show could be seen as advertisements for specific brands.
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What's the Story?
Actor, writer, and director Lena Waithe (The Chi, Master of None) hosts YOU AIN'T GOT THESE, a documentary series about sneaker culture. What is sneaker culture? It's when people take the buying and collecting of certain styles of shoes very seriously, and there is a large community devoted to the once underground niche interest. Each episode explores how sneaker culture ignited and evolved, why it exists, and how it manifests in pop culture and everyday life.
Is It Any Good?
Quibi's 10-minute episodes are a nice match with the documentary-collage format: It's a good amount of time to dig into one particular aspect of a subject without stretching it out too much. That said, You Ain't Got These feels padded out, with about half of each episode devoted to interviewees talking about how buying sneakers gives them status, but not really exploring the social implications of why that is. Without digging into the downside of commercialism and the "money equals confidence" equation, You Ain't Got These seems more like PR than a true cultural documentary.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about sneaker culture. What is sneaker culture? What's the difference between sneaker culture and just buying a pair of shoes?
Did you learn anything about sneakers that you didn't already know from You Ain't Got These? What was it? Is there more to sneaker culture than you realized? Are there aspects of sneaker culture they don't talk about on the show?
How does the value of sneakers increase? What are some of the ways you see sneaker values increase on the show? Why do you think people covet sneakers as much as they do?
TV Details
- Premiere date: April 6, 2020
- Cast: Lena Waithe
- Network: Quibi
- Genre: Educational
- TV rating: NR
- Last updated: February 27, 2022
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