The Catholic Weekly 10 May 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 21 10, May, 2020 VISTA WILL BE TAKING A SHORT BREAK ... But watch this page for more interesting news locally and from around the world Something for every teen PARENTS OF teens shelter- ing in place may be balanc- ing the hope of keeping them entertained with concerns about the content available to them via streaming servic- es. The following, in alphabet- ical order, are reviews of some shows parents can feel com- fortable suggesting to their adolescents. It’s interesting to note that many of the programs aimed at teenagers are set in high schools – hardly a surprise since that’s where the daily routine of the target audience is normally centred. Yet, in the present moment of at-home instruction, social distancing and cancelled graduations, youngsters may be reassured to see academic life continu- ing, if only on screen. Alexa & Katie Alexa & Katie is a Netflix original sitcom starring Paris Berelc and Isabel May in the title roles. These next-door neighbours and BFFs are just about to take the huge step of becoming high school stu- dents. Like most, they’re excited and a little scared, but they also face a hurdle most teens don’t: Alexa is just finishing chemotherapy and doesn’t want to be known among her new peers as “the girl with cancer.” Ever faithful, Katie keeps Alexa’s secret – which leads to some comic conse- quences. In one episode, Alexa loses her hair and Katie, anxious to show solidarity but without much forethought, shaves her own head. Almost immedi- ately, Alexa realises that Katie won’t be able to handle being bald, so the duo goes to buy wigs. Unable to find a normal looking wig she can purchase within the budget her cash- strapped single mum, Jennif- er (Jolie Jenkins), has given her, Katie buys a more expen- sive one. But Jennifer makes her return it, and the pals both wind up going to school sporting the neon-colored false hair Katie can afford. The amazing Tiffani Thies- sen plays Alexa’s Mum, Lori, with comedy that doesn’t ig- nore or downplay her daugh- ter’s illness. All American Originally from the CW but now streaming on Netflix is All American which, obvious- ly, will resonate more with American teens. A bit grittier than some teen shows, it fol- lows Spencer James (Daniel Ezra), a star American football player at his suburban Los Angeles school who is recruit- ed to play in a far different en- vironment, Beverly Hills High, by its coach, Billy Baker (Taye Diggs). Unsurprisingly, the result- ing culture shock almost over- whelms Spencer. And things only become more challeng- ing after a jealous BeverlyHills player contests his transfer. As a result of the protest, Spencer is forced, tempo- rarily, to leave the home he shares with his mum, Grace (Karimah Westbrook), and lit- tle brother, Dillon (Jalyn Hall), and move in with the Bakers. (Touchingly, he sneaks back at night to help Dillon with his homework). A true fish-out-of-water story, All American explores themes of racism, family life, betrayal, fitting in amid new surroundings, friendship and devotion. Dance Academy The Australian production Dance Academy , available on Amazon Prime, follows a group of teens at Sydney’s National Dance Academy, all of whom aspire to become professionals. Tara Webster (Xenia Goodwin) hails from a sheep farm in the sticks and soon discovers that, while the small-town facility where she previously trained may have fuelled her passion, it didn’t do much for her technique. As she struggles to blend in with her classmates, Tara en- dures the added humiliation of being restricted to the barre by the stern Miss Raine (Tara Morice). Against peer advice, she befriends Kat (Alicia Ban- it), a good dancer but one whose estimate of her own abilities is exaggerated by her inflated ego. Dance Academy has the stereotypical characters fa- miliar from many teen pro- grams such as the bad boy, the work-obsessed diva and the class hottie. Yet, at the same time, it does manage to be fresh and engaging. The series, which first ran from 2010 to 2013, dates it- self a bit when the kids pull out flip phones (gasp!). Still, it presents plenty of scenar- ios for today’s teens to enjoy. After all, the main challenges of high school have remained fairly consistent over the years. The Letter for the King The Letter for the King , on Netflix, is a six-episode, Mid- dle Ages-set action/adventure series about the namesake teen son (Amir Wilson) of Sir Tiuri the Valiant, knight of Dagonaut (David Wenham). During the trials for aspiring knights, young Tiuri breaks from his group to help an in- jured stranger. His new ac- quaintance entrusts Tiuri with an urgent, secret letter for the King of Unawen. The missive must be deliv- ered in the next 14 days, but the king is 1,000 miles away. Humble, but eager to prove himself, Tiuri sets off on his quest. The other candidates for knighthood are sent out to look for Tiuri and, in the course of their search, learn how to trust one another. Of course, there’s also a standard villain, Prince Viridian (Gijs Blom), who is trying to usurp the king. Given that it includes some violence, this is definitely a show for older teens. They’ll find that it highlights the value of friendship, fidelity, perse- verance and determination. Wildfire Originally aired between 2005 and 2008, the drama Wildfire , on Amazon Prime, A true fish-out-of-water story, All American explores themes of racism, family life, betrayal, fit- ting in amid new surroundings, friendship and devotion.” One of the challenges of a COVID-19 world: keeping teens from getting bored. PHOTO: CNS PHOTO/LUCAS JACKSON, REUTERS ¾ ¾ Sister Hosea Rupprecht is another program best suit- ed to those 16 or older. While serving time for car theft, Kris Furillo (Genevieve Padalecki) participates in a work pro- gram that involves helping out at a horse-training facility. There, she discovers she loves the animals and has a natural gift for interacting with them. Upon her release, one of the trainers offers Kris a job at Raintree Farm, a struggling family-owned ranch dedi- cated to raising racehorses. Matt (Micah Alberti), the owner’s teen son, is immedi- ately drawn to Kris. So, too, is his best friend, Junior (Ryan Sypek), the wealthy scion of a competing clan. When Wildfire, the horse to which she became especially devoted while incarcerated, goes to auction and ends up destined for the slaughter- house, Kris risks going back to prison in order to save him. Refreshingly, the show fea- tures involved parents (and parental figures). It also does well in depicting characters taking responsibility for their actions. Zoe Valentine Zoe (Anna Cathcart), the titular character in Amazon Prime’s Zoe Valentine , is an- other teen on the verge of high school. A magic enthusiast, she always has a deck of cards in her hand and often quotes the wisdom of Harry Houdini. She’s made a convert of her best pal, Brody (Diego Ve- lazquez), and the two spend all their time practicing tricks. Zoe is apprehensive about starting the new phase of her life because her sister Cleo (Malia Tyler), who recent- ly died of cancer, was a very popular student at her future school. As she tries to figure out her own identity, how- ever, Zoe discovers that she didn’t know Cleo as well as she thought. This is an unusual program in that each episode is only 15 minutes long. Brief as they are, though, these vignettes can serve as conversation starters. Parents might ask, for instance, what their young- sters would do in Zoe’s shoes. How would they feel about some of the things Cleo kept from Zoe? Faced with some of Zoe’s choices, howwould they react? - CNS From comedy to drama, several series now streaming offer decent viewing for every teen taste ENTERTAINMENT