Comedy
Dead Boy Detectives
Dead Boy Detectives targets teens in style and story. But it comes with very adult, problematic content.
Erin likes to rock. Aaron likes to pop. And neither are ready to mix their styles.
But their lives collide when Erin’s dad, Chuck, and Aaron’s mom, Sylvia, get married and blend their two families. Now, Erin and Aaron are forced to interact with one another. Every. Single. Day.
It’s not easy.
Erin, an occasional rule breaker, is used to being the only child and doesn’t take too well to sharing her home with Aaron and his little sister, Natasha. She also dislikes sharing the musical spotlight at her high school. But Aaron mostly doesn’t mind. He’s not interested in being the star: He just loves to sing and play the piano and he tries not to rock the boat–something that can seem impossible with Erin.
But when they sing and play music together, the results can be surprisingly sweet. And while both of them sometimes wish life would go back to “normal,” they’re ready to climb to new musical heights and put aside their differences for the sake of their newfound family.
How many elementary and middle school aimed shows feature two stars who like to sing and perform? A lot. The answer is a lot. And Nickelodeon is adding to that number.
The network’s newest series, Erin & Aaron, is a TV-G rated show with a laugh track and predictable dialogue that examine two families–each of which has lost a parent–blend into one new one. But that family has its concerns. The parents here, as in most Nick shows, seem more like chill friends than parental figures. They’re sometimes clueless and they like to make jokes, even when an event may call for a more serious role. Aaron’s precocious young sister, Natasha, doesn’t really know the meaning of the word “no.” And Aaron and Erin of course have their daily disagreements.
However, so far, there isn’t really any “concerning” content here. There’s no profanity, no inappropriate sexual content and no hidden agendas thus far.
There are high school crushes and a bit of high school drama, but it’s all played for laughs. And while there’s no educational component to this series, the two lead characters consistently choose to be selfless and work on improving their relationship so that they can keep their family together.
Erin and Aaron find out that they’ll have to put aside their differences to keep their family together.
Aaron’s mom comments online that he’s a thirst trap (a guy who looks attractive in photos), but she has no idea what it means. Erin’s dad walks downstairs in a plaid shirt and his boxers. Erin’s teenage neighbor declares his love for her, calling them soulmates, to Erin’s disgust. Erin’s best friend has a crush on Aaron.
Erin and Aaron get angry at one another, start fighting and accidentally break a piano during their tussle. Aaron’s younger sister, Natasha, can be mean, demanding and entitled. She calls her brother a “butthead.”
Aaron says he always wants to do the right thing, and Erin replies, “gross!” A teacher jokes that she is “dead inside.” Erin’s dad tells Erin that they won’t be able to watch as many scary movies now since Natasha is young and a part of their family now.
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.
