Alysia Duemler

I don’t get offended easily. I loved Dave Chapelle’s controversial skit about what Kanye said against Jews; I saw his good intentions. This movie was offensive. I so wanted to love it, too. The cast are brilliant. The chemistry between the 2 leads is lovely. There are funny moments. Yet, as a Jew connected to my people’s past and present plight, the film was painful. We are being attacked and even killed in high numbers with knives, guns, fires, bombs… Antisemitism has increased 350% in the past 5 years, yet we are such a marginalized, tiny community thanks to our history of being murdered and as people inaccurately see us as white only and that’s it (film didn’t help this at all), it’s underreported. You heard what Kanye said, but Jews have been thrown off buildings to die and you probably didn’t know. I don’t know 1 Jewish person who hasn’t experienced hatred for who they are. In the Holocaust or Shoah, 6 million Jews as well as thousands of gay people, disabled people, and others, were murdered in a genocide of unspeakable horrors only some 75 years ago; people alive today survived it. Many things said and unchallenged in the movie spread the lies of hate. Action is spurred from speech. Jewish people had NO central part in slavery and that is an antisemitic conspiracy theory. Anytime you see that Jews or Israel are at the center of or controlling money, wealth, power, or bad things in the world, it is classic Nazi propaganda of the same kind that was used to convince neighbors to do nothing as 6 million were murdered. Black people have a lot of pain from systemic racism, slavery, police brutality, and more. I’m glad the film mentioned that. Jewish people as a whole are NOT to blame. Most came to the United States in poverty after escaping persecution and discrimination in Europe. In Europe, Jews were treated for centuries as Black people were treated in the U.S. (denied jobs, pushed into ghettos, murdered in hate mobs; the Holocaust was by far NOT the only horrible thing). Synagogues were bombed during the civil rights movement of the 1950s-70s because Jews stood up for Black rights and the KKK and white supremacists hate us and blame us for everything. We faced job discrimination and many places flat out wouldn’t hire us until even the 1980’s, and it still happens a bit. It’s wonderful that awful things so many Black people go through like being murdered by cops and even the Ashkenazi mom in the film treating the Black women like toys for their fashion, were called out. There are people like that mom and some are Jewish, so yeah, take them on! But it’s not a game of who has suffered more as it was framed. Both our peoples have suffered and continue to suffer a lot. It’s not like Jews have everything great now as the film portrays. The film makes it seem like Black people have had it way worse, it’s Jew’s fault and we have everything perfect. How about we try to help each other out? Both our communities? Listen to, speak out for, love and uplift each other? Also, there are Black Jews! Why isn’t Jewish pain acknowledged? Why is it turned into a joke? Why isn’t the antisemitism from the Farrakhan followers challenged? My guess is the light skinned Jews involved in the film feel guilty for relative privilege so focused on the Black struggle. Don’t make things worse for your own people in the process! Stand side by side with Black pain, don’t erase the Jewish struggle. I hope a better sequel is made. There is so much potential to address antisemitism in addition to anti-Black racism and still be a comedy.

This show is shocking, depressing, dark, extreme, exaggerated, glorifies teenagers as sex objects, and teaches young people terrible values like how to stab their friends in the back and become self-obsessed. It is truly tragic that this is something that a lot of teens have seen. It is NOT appropriate for anyone under, like, 20. I applaud them for trying to show real issues, but they did NOT need to show constant nudity and make everything way over the top. This is the problem with modern society...in the name of "progress," and "oh, but some people do have that experience," they justify taking everything to the extreme on the screen to make money. MOST TEENS ARE NOT THIS SEVERELY MESSED UP, SO WHY DO YOU MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THEY ALL ARE? And the ones that are are messed up because we as a society have completely failed them by neglecting them, letting them raise themselves in front of screens without the warmth and attention and guidance they need and deserve. Shame on society for what we have done to gen Z. Kids deserve better. This depresses me beyond belief that this is the experience some teenagers actually have today. Is nothing sweet and cute anymore!? Kids used to be nervous to even kiss someone or smoke weed, Jesus, this is sad what has happened. The acting is excellent, however.

I would give it 2.5 or 3 out of 5 stars. Cons: awful and inaccurate Southern accent, upsetting showing of a child self-harming, having casual sex, a mom breaking a 9-year-old boy's nose on purpose, child abuse, violence, murder, abuse, a lot of darkness: while the content is not bad to put into the open to raise awareness, it got graphic or too intense or much at times- definitely needs trigger warnings and definitely NOT appropriate for actual teenagers under 18, 19 or 20. The kids talk and act like 40 year old gen X white people and the dialogue and things they do does NOT feel like gen Z kids of color most of the time. Over-the-top angsty and dark, like too much, didn't need to go that far. A lot of the characters can be very annoying and unlikeable at times. I also found it hard to believe that ALL of the teen characters are drinking, doing drugs and having sex in the 10th grade. Ridiculous. Pros: There is meaningful character development. It saddens me to see so many people hate on the character of Ginny that I have to wonder whether this is unconscious anti-Black bias. She is just a kid and she grows A LOT in season 2. The actress who plays her is absolutely brilliant. Everyone comments on the acting by the mom but the acting by the daughter is actually better in my opinion, and the character more forgivable as she is just a kid. However actually all the acting from the entire cast and crew is good except for the 2 main actors that supposedly have Texas accents- I am from Texas and they got it way wrong. Other than that though their acting was good. Show delves into some meaningful and important subject matter. Show has a lot of twists and turns that we do not see coming. Quite diverse and do a good job of representation. There is even a deaf dad. If you are looking for something sweet, funny, family-friendly and fun, do NOT watch this. The trailers are completely deceiving and show 2 out of only a handful of funny moments in the entire show. It is actually pretty disturbing, dramatic, and heavy. However the acting is very good and the show is far from boring as you do not know what to expect next. If you are like 20 and older, maybe worth a watch. But there are better shows out there that don't try to be a mom daughter show, teen show, drama, murder mystery, political drama, and social justice piece all at the same time and thus end up feeling overwhelming and disjointed.

It was cute and some laughs for sure. Never Have I Ever was a lot cuter, funnier and better. However it is worth a watch and is pretty honest to a lot of things college kids are facing these days. I don't approve of them sleeping around so much and that is kind of too bad but there are kids like that. Shows some real issues but doesn't feel heavy or hit you over the head. Charming characters, even if they are misguided at times. Nice to see the awkwardness that adolescents actually feel shown in TV rather than making them over-confident like a lot of teen shows do. Felt real!

What a delightful show! The kids felt like real kids, unlike 99% of people playing teenagers on TV (most of the actors are close to the real age of the character, and the awkwardness feels real). I laughed so much! It is also extremely meaningful and sweet. And, unlike a lot of shows which are marketed as teen shows or about teens, this one is actually appropriate for anyone 13 and older.

All the negativity from the media and the public is truly revealing. The documentary exposes how savage they have been to Meghan and Harry, especially to Meghan, due partly to racism and sexism. It’s a lovely love story and Harry and Meghan are two inspiring human beings who have dedicated themselves to philanthropy, activism and service despite never getting a break from terrifying paparazzi constantly invading their private lives in terrifying ways. I am saddened by all the negativity surrounding this great documentary with plenty of detail and substance. I found it meaningful with much to show us about grief, love, sexism, racism, dreams, family, and society. I was worried it would be some trashy reality TV syrupy nonsense and I hate that sort of television. I was pleasantly surprised as it has depth and heart. It felt authentic and it’s good to hear it from the horse’s mouth rather than to just rely on the media! May everyone just leave Harry and Meghan alone if they don’t have a kind word for them; can you imagine having to live under public scrutiny and harsh judgment constantly, almost never getting privacy and peace? They have such a positive attitude and I truly believe they called out the racism and sexism in the classiest way possible, never naming names, and hoping to change the society: we all know sexism and racism have long been a problem in much of the British press and society of all levels and classes, let’s not delude ourselves and hope a change is made. And honestly, a lot oh people are nationalistic and won’t accept an American actress, and that’s terrible, why does a duchess have to be white and from a certain British class and career, that’s so silly. It’s also quite sad that people do this patriarchal woman against woman pitting that they do, and I’m like, wow, why are you making it Kate vs. Meghan, that’s toxic sexism, women should stick together to support each other and it isn’t a competition, Meghan and Kate are sisters! Royal life worked for Kate and it didn’t for Meghan - so what? Some people want to be a dentist others want to be a photographer. Wishing them and their family the best.