Tween grapples with identity in coming-of-age sci-fi drama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
There's a mysterious force coming after the tween characters, and that storyline includes mild threat but no actual violence. Suspense is present throughout, but scenes don't have jump scares. One character is a bully, and will push and shove other kids as well as generally behave in a mean way. The main character Ben sometimes retaliates by pushing and shoving back.
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Positive themes about tweens developing their sense of self, and staying true to themselves as they figure it out. The series also grapples with figuring out what's right and wrong, and doing the right thing.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Ben is a fantastic role model because he is so realistic. He does not always make the right choice, but he learns from his mistakes. He wants to do the right thing. The supporting cast members help each other learn and navigate difficult situations and tricky social-emotional challenges as they grow up.
Diverse Representations
a lot
The main character is in a mixed-race, blended family (Ben and his mom have brown skin and appear to be of South Asian descent; his stepfather and stepsister are White). Many of the supporting characters are people of color; one recurring character uses a wheelchair. Girls and boys are given equal agency and are equally emotionally open. One interesting choice in the show: The main character shape-shifts into kids of other racial backgrounds, and this aspect of his transformations isn't explicitly addressed.
Characters model how to navigate tricky social-emotional challenges.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Me is a sci-fi superhero coming-of-age drama about a 12-year-old who discovers he can shape-shift into other people. There are mysterious evil forces coming after the kids in the show; expect the mild peril and suspense that come with them. One recurring character is a bully, and he shoves and trips his targets. Main character Ben sometimes loses his temper and retaliates. There's a school dance, and innocent crushes between characters. Otherwise, Me has a superb premise and will resonate with tweens going through their own growing pains.
Great coming-of-age show- but entertaining for all ages. Powerful story line and engaging characters. It draws you in from the first episode- and it is hard not to binge!
What's the Story?
In ME, 12-year-old Ben Vasani (Lucian-River Chauhan) has been thrust into a world of change. He moves into a new house with a new stepdad (Kyle Howard) and stepsister, and starts a new school. If that change wasn't enough, he soon learns that he has an unusual power: the ability to shape-shift. His appearance and voice change to match a real person from his life, but it's still him inside. At first, Ben's stepsister Max (Abigail Pniowsky) is the only one who knows about his gift. Eventually, Ben is contacted by another shape-shifter, Carter (Amanda Reid), who helps him learn to harness his power. Over time, it becomes apparent that there are evil forces threatening Ben and his family and friends, and it will be up to him to use his power to save them. Will Ben figure out how he can forge his own identity, while constantly changing into other people to save the world?
With its universal themes, this show will appeal to many tweens. Me brilliantly describes what it means to be 12 and searching for a self-identity, through the clever plot device of Ben getting to try out what it's like to be different people. It'sa cinematic series with fantastic acting, and the characters feel like real kids. Tweens into a bit of sci-fi, a bit of magic, and a bit of superheroes will especially love storylines in Me. Grown-ups won't mind watching the well-written episodes alongside their tweens, and may find that it sparks interesting conversations about developing identity and growing up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about all the changes Ben is going through. How does he process and cope with the change?
When Ben is learning about his power, he sometimes uses it for not-so-great purposes. Do you think people with special talents have a responsibility to use them in a certain way?
Ben is figuring out his own self-identity. By the end of season 1, how do you think Ben thinks about himself? How do you figure out parts of your own identify?
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 Ashley Moulton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
