Comedy
Dead Boy Detectives
Dead Boy Detectives targets teens in style and story. But it comes with very adult, problematic content.
It used to be just James and Astrid.
Married. A quiet home. Plenty of time for themselves.Quiet nights drinking wine and talking. Going out to dinner whenever they wanted. Heading to the gym whenever it suited them.
It was lovely.
Then they had kids. And now it’s not so quiet anymore.
Most days feel like their lives are so chaotic that it’s like a sitcom. It’s hard to get alone time; difficult to finish a coherent thought. The house is often messy. Rushing out the door to school can feel crazier than a carnival. Breaking up sibling fights requires courage that would rival even the greatest lion tamers.
It. Is. A. Lot.
Their single friends think they’re crazy.
But even though James and Astrid’s lives have changed in ways they could have never anticipated, they wouldn’t change them for anything.
Single people would say that children ruin everything. But James and Astrid believe that all the chaos and sleepless nights are more than worth it.
When I was single, I had all the time in the world to do what I wanted. And then I got married. And my life changed a little. Still, it was just my husband and I. Not too much responsibility.
Then we had kids. And all that went right out the window.
That’s what the CW wants to show its viewers in Children Ruin Everything, a PG-rated TV series set in Toronto, Canada.
If you read this title and don’t watch the show, you’ll be offended.
Because children do not ruin everything. They’re blessings. The most refining, occasionally infuriating blessings, but blessings nonetheless that God uses to make us more like Him.
This show actually proves that point while refuting the title.
Executive Producer Kurt Smeaton said that one of his motivations for creating this series was in response to a survey that found childless singles were far happier than those who were married with kids.
His viewpoint is that, sure, singles have:
“More money, more sleep, more time…but I felt there was something missing from that study … something intangible. Yeah, you do lose all those things, but there are these beautiful and hilarious moments you can’t get anywhere else.”
And this show lets this reality play out in each season, including the current third season.
The parents here, James and Astrid, love their children. They love raising them. They love being together. Their life may be a mystery to some with all of its hair-pulling moments, but it’s a life they love.
That’s relatable for many.
The show offers plenty of other relatable thoughts, like how mom’s bodies change after having kids and how that can be frustrating. Or how parental guilt can rack moms and dads as they strive to make healthy choices for their children. What about household chores? Dividing parental responsibility? Peace amidst chaos? Kids getting sick? ADHD in children? Marital intimacy?
That’s all covered in this series, and much more.
Still, there are some things you should be aware of before you stream.
First, both parents can be passive to the point of frustration as their children run amok. The kids–Viv, Felix and Morris–can have rude, disrespectful attitudes. Adults occasionally make inappropriate, sexual comments. Kids love potty humor and calling one another rude names. The occasional “oh my god,” “freaking” and even-bleeped out profanity makes its way into some episodes. And don’t be surprised if you hear some progressive ideas.
Still, I like the heart of the show. It reminds us that although no one is perfect in their parenting, or in life, we can all get better at it.
James and Astrid take Viv to a child psychologist who diagnoses her with ADHD, something that both parents react to in different ways.
Astrid at first tries to deny the diagnosis, and she tries to find “dirt” on the psychologist to discredit her opinion. Finally, she realizes that the psychologist is correct. Astrid doesn’t want Viv on medication and James would like her to try it, so James decides to try it to gauge the side effects. They disagree for a time, but eventually agree to use techniques to help their daughter.
Viv and Felix can both be disrespectful and unkind to their parents and to one another. Astrid mentions that Viv has developed a “tween attitude,” although she’s only 6. Astrid worries that they’re screwing up their kids’ lives.
Viv’s psychologist encourages Astrid and James to find the best in Viv’s brain functions, including her creativity and kindness.
James tries to comically ask the child psychologist about his own past, but the doctor tells James he cannot project his own trauma at a meeting for his daughter. Astrid tells James that she gets her parenting information from mom influencers on Instagram and that she prefers their personal experiences over professionals, and James feels the opposite.
James’ coworker makes a joke about a one-night-stand and hitting on “babes” while at work.
Baby Morris, James and Astrid’s youngest, finds a knife multiple times and tries to cut an egg, much to his parents’ horror. James admits to making a mistake when he let his elementary-aged son watch a few minutes of the movie John Wick.
Astrid says “oh my God.”
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
Dead Boy Detectives targets teens in style and story. But it comes with very adult, problematic content.
An elf mage contemplates on connection and regret as she watches her human friends grow old and pass away.
