Contributor: Emily Tsiao

Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.

On the Radar: ‘Magic Mushrooms,’ ‘Chroming’ and  ‘Sharenting’

Psilocybin-related Calls More Than Tripled Among Teens What? Psilocybin, aka “magic mushrooms,” is a hallucinogenic drug that some states and cities have begun to decriminalize (for those 21 and older.) So What? Despite not being commercially available …

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The Regime season 1

The Regime

Kate Winslet rules this fictional European country through guile, paranoia and delusion. The show itself is on shaky ground, as well.

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Labyrinth 1986

Labyrinth

This 1986 cult classic fantasy story starring David Bowie is beloved by some but may still be a nonstarter for others.

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On the Radar: Fried Toothpicks, Popcorn Brain and Eating Disorders in Teen Boys

Don’t eat TikTok’s trending fried toothpicks. Popcorn brain is diminishing our attention spans. Eating disorders in teen boys are increasing.

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Scrambled 2024

Scrambled

Scrambled addresses serious subjects, such infertility and the desire for children, but it’s R-rating hints at a ton of sexual content, too.

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Tech Trends: Apple Vision Pro and the Brain. Plus, State Bans on Social Media

How might the Apple Vision Pro be rewiring our brains? And what are states doing to protect kids from the negative effects of social media?

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The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live

This Walking Dead spinoff isn’t much different from the source material: bloody, gruesome and profane.

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On the Radar: Wizz, Sextortion and How Much Sleep Teenagers Really Need

The Wizz app can be dangerous. Sextortion puts primarily teenage boys at risk. And teenagers aren’t getting enough sleep.

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Avatar the Last Airbender season 1

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024)

Avatar: The Last Airbender, Netflix’s live-action remake of the Nickelodeon cartoon, has some good lessons and some troubling elements.

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The Shift 2023

The Shift

This sci-fi-esque thriller creatively mashes up a Job-like story with multiversal mayhem … and some spiritual lessons along the way.

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CSI Vegas season 3

CSI: Vegas

CSI sequel/spin-off CSI: Vegas is your stereotypical crime procedural. And that can be both good and bad.

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Drive-Away Dolls 2024

Drive-Away Dolls

Drive-Away Dolls is as hard-core and pornographic as an R-rating can stand.

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Mean Girls 2024

Mean Girls

Much like the original, Mean Girls can be quite crass, there’s a lot of foul language, and it hyper-sexualizes teenage girls.

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On the Radar: Why ‘Hurkle-Durkling,’ ‘Dopamine Fasting,’ and Zyn Nicotine Pouches Are Trending

‘Hurkle-Durkling’ Isn’t Necessarily Bad – But That Doesn’t Mean Everyone Should Do It What? “Hurkle-durkle” comes from an old Scottish term meaning “to lie in bed or lounge about when one should be up and about,” and it’s trending on social media. So W …

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Bob Hearts Abishola season 5

Bob Hearts Abishola

There’s a few hearts in this show—but it comes with a couple of barbs, too.

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