Twenties
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Smart, edgy series about friendship explores race and sex.
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Twenties
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What's the Story?
Created by The Chi and Master of None screenwriter Lena Waithe, TWENTIES is a dramatic comedy series about an aspiring screenwriter and her two best friends trying to make their Hollywood dreams come true. Hattie (Jonica T. Gibbs) is a 24-year-old Black, queer, aspiring TV writer who has lived in Los Angeles for three years and can't seem to get her life together. With the help of her friends Nia (Gabrielle Graham), a former child actor, and the pushy Marie (Christina Elmore), a junior studio executive, she lands a job as an assistant to Ida B. (Sophina Brown), one of the few prominent Black producers in the business. Navigating the difficult and unforgiving entertainment industry isn't easy, especially when you're trying to balance it with a satisfying personal life. But Hattie and her friends are committed to making it big.
Is It Any Good?
This semi-autobiographical series follows the chaotic, stressful, and exciting professional and personal journeys of a trio of young women at the beginning of their Hollywood careers. As they rediscover themselves as adult women, they must negotiate love, commit to their work, and sometimes come to terms with the fact that what they thought they wanted out of life is no longer going to make them happy. Hattie's halfhearted attempts to negotiate her place in the industry create some humorous tension, but these moments are short-lived and can make it hard to accept her as the committed screenwriter she professes to be. Nonetheless, Twenties is well-written, and its smart and insightful edge makes it worth tuning into.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way Twenties represents young, Black, career-oriented people. Does it rely on stereotypes? How does it address issues related to race?
What does it mean when a TV series or movie is semi-autobiographical? What aspects of Lena Waithe's life are incorporated into the series?
Discuss how hard it can be to break into the entertainment industry. What kind of challenges do aspiring individuals face? Is talent the only thing you need to succeed?
TV Details
- Premiere date: March 4, 2020
- Cast: Jonica T. Gibbs , Christina Elmore , Gabrielle Graham
- Network: BET
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Friendship
- Character Strengths: Communication , Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
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