Television Review: The Suite Life on Deck
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that, like its popular parent series
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, this show is filled
with content that's bound to entertain tweens but might leave
parents rolling their eyes. The largely unsupervised teen
characters engage in lots of mischief, discipline is virtually
nonexistent, and no problem arises that can't be solved by the
time the credits roll. One of the twins is pretty flirty and
makes mildly suggestive comments, while another main character
constantly gloats over her family's wealth and uses money and
expensive gifts to control her peers -- her manipulations are
played for laughs, of course, but they're still grating. Tween
fans may need to be reminded that little of what they're seeing
is relatable to most people's reality.
Families can talk about how real life differs from Zack and
Cody's world. In what ways is their lifestyle like a fantasy?
Do they ever seem affected by anything serious -- like money,
illness, or family struggles? Kids: Do you ever worry about
those things? Is there any part of Zack and Cody's life that
you can relate to? Families can also discuss studying abroad.
Would tweens enjoy living in another country? If so, where
would they go?
In THE SUITE LIFE ON DECK, twins Zack and Cody Martin (played by Dylan and Cole Sprouse, respectively) leave the luxurious confines of the Tipton Hotel for the equally swanky S.S. Tipton to set sail on a study-abroad program called Seven Seas High. Joined by spoiled heiress London Tipton (Brenda Song) and long-suffering hotel manager-turned-ship supervisor Mr. Moseby (Phill Lewis), Zack and Cody are primed for adventure -- and with new friends by their side, there's no shortage of fun or mischief to be had at sea.
It's a no-brainer that this spin-off of the very popular Disney series The Suite Life of Zack and Cody will entertain fans left adrift when that show ended in September 2008. The trouble-making twins won't let a change of scenery interfere with their penchant for mischief, and new friends Woody (Matthew Timmons) and Bailey (Debby Ryan) happily sign on to follow the boys' often misguided leads.
It's just too bad that Disney didn't mix a few more positive lessons in with all of the fantasy-based fun. Zack and Cody are teens now, but they're still allowed to run amok (and encourage others to do so) without any real adult supervision. Spoiled London takes every opportunity to remind her peers of her fortune and often attempts to sway their actions with money, which sends some iffy messages about materialism and peer pressure. If your tweens do tune in, take the opportunity to do a reality check: Point out that little of what kids are seeing here would be accepted as responsible teen behavior and that in the real world, there are consequences for your actions that last beyond a 30-minute episode.
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Member Comments On...
Television Review: The Suite Life on Deck
4 |
Suite Life was much funnier. The boys have gotten a little to big for their mischief to still be cute (the lack of a Mother figure doesn't help either). Also London Tipton doesn't look like a high school student. I don't know Brenda Song's actual age but she really looks more college age than high school. It might be time for the kids to move on to totally new projects. They are good comedians I would hate to see their talent wasted on a played out concept.
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