Like many people, I’ve watched more TV in the past year than ever before! Also, like many families, we have to pick and choose what we watch depending who is around.
Daniel, at 13, is that sort of inbetween age – where he’s too old for a lot of the usual kids stuff but some of the more adult programmes aren’t really appropriate. So when we find something we all like as a family it’s a real treat!
The recommendations below often do have swearing in, and sometimes the occasional sexual reference. But they aren’t too cringey, whether we’re watching with Daniel or my 84 year old Mum! You should always check the ratings info in case there’s anything you’d rather not watch with a child.
Here are my TV and movie recommendations for teens that you can enjoy with the whole family.
TV series for tweens
Friday Night Dinner
Our lockdown TV viewing last year started with Friday Night Dinner, which Sam had already seen and recommended. We started with the first series and were quickly hooked. Some of it was slightly old for Daniel but nothing too bad. We all found it really funny and it’s good that there are six series, although we were gutted when we ran out. If we catch the occasional one on TV now we still love them – you can watch them over and over again.
The Good Doctor
We started The Good Doctor in the autumn and for some reason I paid for the first series on Amazon Prime – I think it was around £7.99 or so for all of them which wasn’t bad value. It’s the story of an autistic surgeon at a top teaching hospital in California. The main character is played by the same actor who was Charlie Bucket in the Johnny Depp version of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. Because he’s autistic he’s able to make diagnoses that the other doctors miss, and he often saves the day. But he also has many challenges with communication, teamwork and romantic relationships. Although all the boys in my house are squeamish when the surgical procedures are being shown, they all love this programme. We often put it on when my Mum is visiting too, as she’s an ex-nurse so enjoys a medical show.
Luckily, seasons two and three were on the iPlayer, and the fourth season is currently being shown so we can’t binge watch. The first two programmes in the new series are depicting hospital life during the pandemic which is really interesting.
Junior Bake Off
Even if you’re not a fan of the main Great British Bake Off shows, the junior offshoot is brilliant entertainment. It’s on All 4 and is presented by Harry Hill, who is hilarious. But the children are the stars, and the last series from the autumn had us crying with laughter at some of their mishaps. It also, without fail, made me sob when each child had to leave the tent.
They whittle down two sets of contestants over five days each and then in the final week they have the grand final. It has all the tension and humour of the main show, with Paul and Prue judging the bakes. Again, it’s something for all the family and often inspires Daniel and I to do a bit of baking ourselves.
Queen’s Gambit
It seemed like EVERYONE was watching this series when it was shown earlier this year. The subject of chess doesn’t sound riveting but we all loved it, including Daniel. It follows the story of Beth Harmon, an orphan with a huge talent for chess. Set in 1960s America, it is a really stylish production and both the series and lead actor Anya Taylor-Joy won Golden Globe awards.
Stranger Things
Stranger Things is one of those series which I’d have never chosen to watch but we all absolutely love it and can’t wait for the new season to come out. It’s set in the 80s and really depicts the era accurately, with music, fashion and hilarious cultural references that only Lee and I ‘get’. The boys love it too though, as it follows a group of children as they battle supernatural forces when one of them disappears suddenly. It’s exciting, scary and will keep you on the edge of your seat – which is perfect for tweens (and their 50-something parents, as it turns out!).
Movies for tweens
Peanut Butter Falcon
A man with Downs Syndrome runs away from his care home with a dream of becoming a wrestler. He meets a loner and they end up travelling together, all they time trying to evade the authorities. It sounds like a really odd plot but it’s a charming film which we all loved.
Napoleon Dynamite
An unpopular high school teenager with an odd family life ends up trying to get another outsider elected as president of the school. Another ‘outsider’ film but very heartwarming and we all enjoyed it.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
A rebellious child goes to live with new foster parents, and when his foster mother suddenly dies he goes on the run with his foster father, played by Sam Neill. Set in New Zealand, this follows their adventures in the bush as they are chased by the authorities. An exciting adventure and ultimately a feelgood movie for all the family.
Captain Fantastic
Guess what this is? A quirky film about a family who live in the wild – can you see a pattern developing here? It stars Viggo Mortensen as the father who raises his family out in the wilds of a forest near Washington. When his wife gets ill he’s forced to re-enter society to get her treatment. It has heartbreaking moments as well as being incredibly heartwarming and thought-provoking.
Twilight Saga
I’m not sure if the Twilight saga is seen as a girly film franchise but I sold it to Daniel as being a vampire movie. Lee was a bit sniffy to start with but soon got into the characters and plot – and we all enjoyed watching all three films.
I hope this list of TV series and movies for tweens and teens is useful, and in fact they are great recommendations for adults too!