Relatable themes, materialism in sweet tween-targeted show.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Lucy feels like a fish out of water at school. Her classmates stare at her and stop talking when she walks in. Some kids tease her by calling her "Swamp Thing" after an embarrassing event. Lucy is clumsy and often gets in trouble like nearly hitting civilians while riding a bike or falling into a fountain. For a dramatic moment, Lucy jokingly suggests faking her own death, but the idea gets shut down fast. On a school field trip, Lucy and her father encounter a wild boar but he coaches her on what to do. Once, when Lucy is at home alone, she fantasizes about seeing a ghost. There's suspense music, flickering lights and she mistakes tomato sauce for blood. Lucy's mother has presumably died, though no details are shared.
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Kids at school tease Lucy by calling her "Swamp Thing" and her friend Nico "Trumpet Butt," referencing embarrassing moments. Sometimes, characters snap at each other using words like "back off," "little brat," "snarky."
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The 13-year-olds in this show all have smartphones. Lucy uses a helmet-mounted camera while riding her bike and talking to her friend in the U.S. Many of the students at school have expensive clothing and accessories, which Lucy notes. Lucy's new stepmother is a pop star who has a lavish lifestyle.
Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
Mild flirting between adult characters, hand holding, kiss on the cheek. In one scene, a joke about how mice reproduce is bound to go over younger one's heads: "It would take two mice to become a hundred. Just learned about that."
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Main character Lucy is creative, kind and well-intentioned. As a young teen dealing with many changes, she sometimes feels insecure and lets her nerves take over. This leads to bad decisions like skipping school, snapping at others, or embellishing stories. These moments are brief and she quickly recognizes her mistakes and apologizes. Parental figures are always around to offer guidance and support. Lucy maintains a cross-continental relationship with her extremely supportive best friend.
Positive Messages
a lot
Strong messages about starting over -- in a new place or when things don't go as planned -- being brave and not worrying what others think.
Diverse Representations
a little
Lead characters are predominantly White; diversity is sprinkled through the supporting cast. Main character and her dad have ADHD but the portrayal is limited mostly to comedy, focusing on traits like talking too much or getting distracted while riding a bike and falling off. Dad is portrayed as a sensitive man.
The show aims to entertain rather than educate but still provides bits of information about ancient Roman architecture and culture. Creative inspirations include the lead character designing her own clothes and composing music with her best friend.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Home Sweet Rome is a heartwarming tween series by the creator of Hannah Montanaand That's So Raven. It follows 13-year-old American Lucy as she adjusts to life in Rome after her dad marries an Italian pop star. Themes revolve around starting fresh, making new friends, and dealing with homesickness. It's implied that Lucy's mom has passed, and she's learning to connect with dad's new wife. While Lucy has great intentions, her anxiety sometimes gets the best of her, and she gets in trouble for snapping at others or embellishing stories to fit in. School life is not easy, and some classmates are bullying, while others just finding her quirky. Her strongest friendship remains in America but is very much present throughout in long-distance video calls that model great support for young viewers. Some pop-star settings may feel unrealistically cool, but fans of musical shows will enjoy the catchy songs Lucy and best friend Kyla perform together -- a surprising mix of silly nonsense and valuable lessons.
Triggering. A 38YO/ graying man merry’s a 20 something “pop star” when he has a kid maybe 7 years her junior and maybe 3 inches shorter than her. Disgusting.
Katherine R.Parent of 10, 14, 18+, 18+, 18+ and 5-year-old
May 20, 2024
age 9+
What's the Story?
After her dad (Darrin Rose) marries an Italian pop star (Eleonora Facchini), Lucy (Kensington Tallman) moves to Rome, leaving behind her American life and best friend, Kyla (Ava Ro). As she struggles with the many "new"s in her life -- country, language, family, school, and friends -- she learns important lessons on what it takes to fit in, be brave, and support others.
Starting a new life in Italy when your dad marries a superstar sounds like something out of a wish-fulfillment fantasy, but this show still manages to feel relatable. Home Sweet Rome grounds itself on the most universal aspect of that experience: dealing with change. Lucy deals with typical teenage problems the audience may face in Europe or the U.S: fitting in at school, missing a best friend, and navigating difficult family dynamics. The show is at its best when she succeeds in her efforts, either by indulging in creative music composing with her best friend -- who manages to have a huge presence in her life despite being thousands of miles away -- or accepting advice from the woman who seems a bit too civilian to be a pop star. While Home Sweet Rome may not be the most realistic portrayal of living abroad, it showcases a parent-daughter relationship that strikes a nice balance. The show has both tween appeal and enough parental presence to offer guidance young characters (and viewers) need.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the settings of Home Sweet Rome and how they compare to real life. Does it feel like a dream to bike through the streets of Rome? How realistic do you think Lucy and Kyla's bedrooms are?
Lucy has moved to a new city and everything about her life is different. What are some aspects that stay the same? What do you think are the easiest and most challenging parts of adapting to a different culture?
Lucy experiences the ups and downs of making friends at school but eventually learns that she can't be liked by everyone. Have you been through a similar situation? How did it make you feel?
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
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Fernanda Camargo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
