These two Netflix children’s shows conquer serious themes in a refreshing and entertaining way.
Sometimes, children’s shows are looked down upon just because they are aimed at a younger audience. Sometimes, they may be more “silly” or less serious, but that does not mean they are no less valuable. Some kid’s shows can have quite deep, substantial, and serious themes; shows that are not afraid to talk to their audience as an equal. Kids are not stupid and can understand quite serious topics. While Avatar: The Last Airbender is a well-known example of a show aimed at a younger audience conquering dark themes, there are a lot more out there.
The best shows can be enjoyed at any age, by any audience. While often hidden by bright, colorful animation and lighthearted moments, some of these children’s shows can have quite a lot of seriousness to them, accessible to any audience, and not afraid to show kids a bit more seriousness without talking down to them.
Hilda
In the second episode of season 1, “The Midnight Giant,” there is a surprisingly powerful, deep moment that resonated with a theme that can echo through life, and could be applied to both large and small contexts. There is a giant in the episode and the episode largely revolves around it and its backstory, and there are also small elves that appear invisible to human eyes.Hilda, the titular character, and her mother, live in this forest with these creatures, among many other fantastical beings largely based on Norse folklore. During this episode, the giant crushes their house, while Hilda and her mom watch; the mother comments that the giant did not realize where it was going and did not even realize what was beneath its feet. As she says this line, it shows a shot of the mother herself crushing one of the tiny elves’ home without even realizing it. While this could be played for humor or dramatic irony, it conveys a somber tone in the lighting, tone of voice, and context.
Neither the mother nor the giant are villainized, even though it is a sad moment, but it just shows how often someone can destroy something largely important to others and it may mean nothing to them or they may not even notice it. From big to small instances, it is definitely a theme that can apply to anyone and anywhere.
That episode sets up a tone for the rest of the series: some are more serious, some more lighthearted. It also tackles themes like parenthood (and single parenthood in particular) by making Hilda’s mother, Johanna, an actual character rather than thrown to the side, as some children’s shows will do.Johanna becomes someone more relatable and has her own character traits, motivations, etc. that show her in a complex and positive light rather than just “the mom character.” She becomes involved in the plot instead of waiting on the sidelines. The show also tackles other themes, involving relationships and communication that make it a perfect blend of a mature narrative and a sweet, typical children’s show.
Catch Season 3 of “Hilda” on Netflix on December 7, 2023.
Dead End: Paranormal Park,
Another Netflix hit, this show about a haunted amusement park, is another recent children’s show that shows more serious themes.
Some of the bigger themes include gender identity, acceptance and anxiety.
Barney, the protagonist, is transgender, and that is not something that is offhanded, as it becomes something important to his character. The show does not stray away from the lack of acceptance he feels within his family, and gives him an overall serious arc and motivation while not making his sexuality his entire character. This show still tackles themes like sexuality and gender identity. There are several instances of queerrelationships that are both normalized and shown to have real impact on the characters, rather than existing just to exist
In one episode, Norma, the deuteragonist, is shown having an anxiety attack, handled in a thoughtful, but realistic way that shows the severity of it and being a part of Norma’s character. It handles serious topics while making it feel like a natural part of the characters and setting.
Watch Dead End: Paranormal Park on Netflix now.
These shows are just two of many that balance the entertaining with the somber, and create memorable experiences for all ages. They have both fun and serious moments for children to enjoy and in the serious moments, think more deeply. Any good show should have a mix of being entertaining and challenging, and children’s shows should be no different. Serious themes show it is okay to challenge a younger audience and they can enjoy and appreciate it as much as an older audience would.
Children are a lot smarter than some people give them credit for and it is important to respect that and not shy away from portraying a more serious topic in the media aimed towards them.
