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Fairfax

Still from Fairfax tv show

Credits

Cast

Network

Reviewer

Kristin Smith

TV Series Review

Thirteen-year-old Dale knows little about social media and nothing about what it takes to be cool in Los Angeles. But he’s about to find out. 

His dad and stepmom have moved him down the coast to the Fairfax neighborhood in L.A. where they’ve just opened up a new vape store. Turns out, their new venture is right next to the trendiest shop in the area: Latrine. 

Latrine was started by a mysterious man named Haroki Hasam, best known for dropping dope creations that are sure to make anyone, and I mean anyone, question their sense of style and work tirelessly to obtain the newest, hottest “random thing,” be it an article of clothing, a dog toy or a camera, to become Insta famous… even if that fame only lasts for 30 seconds. 

And Dale knows this to be true from the new friends he’s just made: Derica, a middle school girl who loves to protest everything and prefers not to self-identify; Benny, a young, Asian-American who is dying to be a social media influencer if it weren’t for his parents forcing him to practice the cello; and Truman, an artsy, black teenager with a passion for photography. 

This entire world could not be more foreign to Dale, a backpacking, nature loving Oregonian. But the last thing he wants is to be left out. And if his new friends say that being an influencer is the key to all happiness and success, then, well, they must be right. 

Amazon Goes Real Woke

I’m not sure too many parents were anxiously waiting for a brand new, uber-woke show to drop. But Amazon doesn’t care, because they’ve just created one. 

Fairfax, found on Amazon Prime, is an attempt at reaching middle schoolers while creating content that isn’t suitable for most adults. This series, which holds a TV 16+ rating, focuses on innocent middle schooler Dale as he’s introduced to new friends who are obsessed with gaining “likes” and becoming famous on social media. 

Why? Well, because according to this “gang gang,” reaching influencer status shows the world that you’ve finally made something of your life. Never-mind character, morals or any sort of ethical values (although I suppose you might be able to argue that this show is attempting to show how vain internet fame really is…but you’ll have to dig for that one). 

And if that entire premise isn’t enough to make you seriously want to chuck the TV into another time zone, you should know a few more details: Sexual identity is fluid, racism is directed heavily at caucasian males, church is nothing more than a joke, parents are naive and portrayed as mindless, violence and drug use are common and language is extremely heavy. I want to add something here to give this series a redeeming quality, but I have yet to see anything that works in Fairfax’s favor.

Episode Reviews

Oct. 28, 2021: “Pilot”

Thirteen-year-old Dale moves from Oregon to the Fairfax neighborhood of Los Angeles and quickly learns that clout on social media runs the middle school world. 

A divorced woman wonders when a 13-year-old boy will turn 18, making him a legal option for a sexual relationship. A young teen disgustingly suggests that an older man perform oral sex. An elderly woman makes an extremely crude reference to oral sex. Dale’s new friends tell him that he dresses like “if Tom Hanks f–ked an REI.” Dale tells his parents that one of his 13-year-old friends manually stimulated a girl.  

Dale says of Derica that he isn’t sure if she “identifies as a girl or not.” Later, Derica holds hands with Greta Thunberg as a gay flag flies in the background. Girls wear crop tops. Derica condescendingly calls a man “white” and “cisgendered,” both of which are meant as an insult. Multiple racist comments are made, aimed directly at caucasians. 

Teenagers are extremely disrespectful to their parents, all of whom are portrayed as mindless and completely incapable of properly parenting. A teen girl tells her friends that if she gets in trouble her parents will make her go to church, and she “hates” church. Later, she is forced to take communion. 

A man is split in half by a shark and blood sprays in all directions. Joaquin Phoenix pours gasoline on himself and sets himself on fire. Derica and her friends kidnap a beloved dog and try to hold it for ransom. A teen boy dramatically suggests that he kill himself after missing a trend. Multiple buildings explode. 

Pigeons smoke marijuana and an elderly woman smokes a cigarette. Dale’s parents move to Los Angeles to open up a vape shop. A nearby store sells crystals. 

Jesus’ name is abused. God’s name is misused multiple times, paired with “d–n” and “d–mit.” The f-word is heard nearly 20 times and the s-word is used five times.Other profanity includes multiple utterances each of “b–ch,” “h—,” “a–,” “p-ssy,” and “d–n.”

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kristin-smith
Kristin Smith

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).

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