Review: Whaddyado
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this program is basically a public
service announcement in TV-show clothing. Geared toward tweens
and young teens, the series helps kids find answers to
difficult -- sometimes life-threatening -- situations. The
featured moral dilemmas and perilous situations give kids a
chance to ponder what they would do in the same situation.
Every scenario is based on a real-life event.
Families can talk about the different situations covered by the
show. What would tweens and teens do if they were faced with a
similar problem? Questions that could spark discussion include:
Who can you talk to if you think you or a friend needs help?
What should you do if a friend tells you not to tell anyone
about his or her secret?
Hosted by Christine Long, WHADDYADO asks young viewers to consider real-life survival situations and moral dilemmas that kids like themselves have experienced. By asking the question "What do you do?," this program seeks to educate kids on how to make good decisions in difficult circumstances. Based on real-life events, the sequences in each episode feature either actual footage or a re-enactment of the situation -- which usually involves a teen between the ages of 13 and 16 -- and offer good advice at the end of each segment. Past episodes have covered everything from what to do if you're being bullied at school to what to do if you're biking and your friend gets hurt.
While Whaddyado is set up like a news program, it feels more like a public service announcement. The series is informative, and it does encourage kids to consider their own plan of action if they find themselves in a similar situation, but it would work better as part of a school program that teaches safety guidelines. The acting is a little over-done, and critical viewers will lose interest fast.
Overall, Whaddyado is certainly a useful program for kids, since it teaches survival lessons and helps kids consider what to do in ethical predicaments. But its format probably won't keep teens interested for long -- there are many more-entertaining distractions on television. Nonetheless, if kids do tune in, they'll get sound advice on dealing with some of life's most difficult moments.
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