TV shows & movies to watch with a 13 year old?

[Ann.without.an.e]

We don't watch TV often and when we want to we always feel stumped. I want to make a list so we aren't just scratching our heads. DS is 13 and we're looking for things that are ok for him. He is ok with violence (although I'd rather avoid over-the-top gory since I just don't like that) and language is ok as long as it isn't excessive. I really just don't like exposing this age to too many sexual things. I'd love to find things that are PG13 or TV14 or cleaner. 

Some TV Shows we have watched in the past:

The marvel ones like Wanda Vision, Moonknight, etc

Lost in Space

Agents of Shield

He's watched some of the Star Wars ones with his dad like Mandalorian

We watched PBS's All Creatures and Around the World in 80 Days at your recommendation (fantastic by the way)

We have Disney Plus, Hulu, HBO Max, Netflix, Prime, and PBS but I'm open to other channels too

What else might we like that is ok for him?

Thanks for helping me with this list 🙂 

Edited August 15, 2022 by Ann.without.an.e

[Teaching3bears]

 at age 13 we watched:

Gilligan’s Island
Alex Ryder

Road to Avonlea (at age 13 my son would not exactly admit to liking this and said some episodes were too girly but he loved it.  It is SUCH good quality.  For all ages and genders.

[Ann.without.an.e]

1 minute ago, Teaching3bears said:

 at age 13 we watched:

Gilligan’s Island
Alex Ryder

Road to Avonlea (at age 13 my son would not exactly admit to liking this and said some episodes were too girly but he loved it.  It is SUCH good quality.  For all ages and genders.

oooh like the old Gilligan's Island?

Alex Ryder? I think he loved the books. They have a series now? 

[Teaching3bears]

Yes, the old one! Hilarious!

There are two seasons of Alex Ryder on Amazon Prime.  It’s very gripping.

[gardenmom5]

sabrina the teenage witch

secondhand lions

jumanji

an american tail

There is a clean language version out there - The Princess Bride

enola holmes

Arrival (some language, not really gratuitous)

Netflix - the pick of the litter  (documentary about training five puppies to be guide dogs.  40% make it.  and they were right on the average. this foundation breeds their own dogs.)

How the states got their shapes

great british castles (and great irish manor houses)

 rescued by ruby (rated g).  Ruby is a very spirited dog (based on a true story that is pretty well true to what happened, with minor changes)

TOGO (another based on a real dog story.  He really did jump through a plate glass window . . . )

Blue Miracle.  based on a real story.  (I'm actually offended they had to have a "white" captain, and couldn't just tell a great story.  It was a complete fiction.)

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by gardenmom5

[Ann.without.an.e]

35 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

sabrina the teenage witch

secondhand lions

jumanji

an american tail

There is a clean language version out there - The Princess Bride

enola holmes

Arrival (some language, not really gratuitous)

Netflix - the pick of the litter  (documentary about training five puppies to be guide dogs.  40% make it.  and they were right on the average. this foundation breeds their own dogs.)

How the states got their shapes

great british castles (and great irish manor houses)

 rescued by ruby (rated g).  Ruby is a very spirited dog (based on a true story that is pretty well true to what happened, with minor changes)

TOGO (another based on a real dog story.  He really did jump through a plate glass window . . . )

Blue Miracle.  based on a real story.  (I'm actually offended they had to have a "white" captain, and couldn't just tell a great story.  It was a complete fiction.)

 

 

thank you, language is fine as long as it isn't excessive

Arrival is in my top ten favorite movies of all time.

 

[KungFuPanda]

Has he seen Brooklyn 99?

[Ann.without.an.e]

2 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

Has he seen Brooklyn 99?

Older ds used to love that show but I've never checked into it for younger. I will check it out. Thanks

[HomeAgain]

We just watched these with ds12:

The Martian (nudity = his butt.  There is some language, all in context.  I'm not sure which service it's on now)

The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show on Prime - it was a long shot, but ds found it just as hilarious as his older brother did at the same age.  Only difference was oldest ds and I listened to the radio show in the car.

The Imitation Game-a little dicier than The Martian, you may want to check the data to see if it aligns.

The Hardy Boys (on Prime, I think)

Light & Magic - I think that's the name.  It's the rise of ILM and it's fascinating to watch how they developed special effects.  Disney +

 

[saraha]

We loved the 70’s Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. We’re working through the Monkees right now, definitely silly fun. Raising Dion, psych, leverage, food truck road race, is it cake?, beastmaster? An obstacle course show, battle bots, found some old episodes of American gladiator 😆, greatest American hero is a favorite, Henry danger another goofy no brainer, expedition unknown 

Edited August 15, 2022 by saraha

[Ann.without.an.e]

59 minutes ago, saraha said:

We loved the 70’s Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. We’re working through the Monkees right now, definitely silly fun. Raising Dion, psych, leverage, food truck road race, is it cake?, beastmaster? An obstacle course show, battle bots, found some old episodes of American gladiator 😆, greatest American hero is a favorite, Henry danger another goofy no brainer, expedition unknown 

 

Oh funny we just found and started Leverage last night right after I made this thread

We loved Food Truck Race when we watched it on Food Network on vacation, tbh I forgot about it. 

[Lawyer&Mom]

Nailed It is hilarious and has a really positive message about just doing your best when faced with impossible circumstances. 

[gardenmom5]

One show dudeling loved when he was little - but is still very interesting for adults, was "how it's made".   2ds was irritated with me for deleting the episode on "dirt".  It was where I first learned about Maclarens - and Koenigsegg (tween/teen boys who like cars might like that one).    

[HomeAgain]

Oh!  Also, the British version of Ghosts is on Hulu or HBO, I forget which! You know the show where the couple moves into an inherited home, the wife nearly dies and ends up being able to talk to the spirits in the house?  The American version is funny, the British version is hilarious (and also, it's on demand and not on after ds's bedtime, which is a major win here). 

[HS Mom in NC]

Note* We firmly believe the teen years are for quickly transitioning to adulthood, not so much maintaining childhood. This has been historically true of humanity. This was the time we started introducing adult issues in entertainment in the context of our supervision and discussion/input.  Not lectures, just things to chat about: relationship dynamics, ethics, some real world issues.

With our teens, starting around 13:
Firefly
Sarah Connor Chronicles
Freaks and Geeks
The Good Place
Parks and Recreation
The Office
Myth Busters
Chuck
Better Call Saul

I'll probably think of more later.

[Spryte]

There was a thread not too long ago with PG-13 heist movie suggestions. Those are fun!

[Farrar]

If he likes Marvel, both Hawkeye and Ms. Marvel were very family friendly and were less viewed, so that's an option.

Seconding Nailed It. Nailed It is the best. In general, a lot of reality TV was a favorite here at that age. So Shark Tank, Amazing Race, Survivor, etc. were big hits here. Survivor sometimes has some iffy content if you are sensitive about that stuff. 

Age 13 was prime time for The Office, Parks and Rec, and Brooklyn 99 here. All of them can have things that are a bit off color or sexual but nothing too bad. But depends on your household approach, of course.

All the DC Arrowverse shows are cheesy but most of them are family friendly, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends, etc. And they have a bajillion episodes.

[heartlikealion]

The first few seasons of Young Sheldon are on HBO Max (the newest ones are on Paramount+. The newer ones look like they are leaning more into sexual content topics). 

I used to watch American Housewife on Hulu. It doesn't always have the best messages but if you take it as a comedy and not too seriously I think it's good.

The Middle (I think it's also still living on Hulu. I saw the whole series). 

Superman & Lois (HBO Max). There is a definitely some teen romance storyline but I never saw anything sexual in the episodes I watched. I couldn't get my teen into it... apparently he's just not into Superman. Sigh. I don't know if any streaming services have the Smallville show or not. 

 

[TechWife]

We didn't watch a lot of TV. I remember watching these, though.

TV shows:

Monk

NCIS

Parks & Recreation

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: Voyager

 

80's movies:

Short Circuit

Back to the Future

Indiana Jones

 

Classics:

Arsenic and Old Lace was a big hit. Westerns were not a hit, nor were the romances.

 

 

 

 

[lovinmyboys]

We loved Speechless and The Good Place (my top two recommendations) We are currently watching Young Sheldon as a family.
 

My 13yr old will still watch shows for younger kids- he loves Secrets of Sulphur Springs on Disney Plus and Gortimer Gibbons on Amazon prime. But he also loves Stranger Things and Brooklyn 99. 

[Forget-Me-Not]

Kim’s Convenience on Netflix is cute. There is a single f-bomb thrown in one of the first 2-3 episodes and then I don’t believe it’s ever used again. Sex is occasionally referenced but not shown. 

[kbutton]

Mine like Heartland

[heartlikealion]

I forgot all about The Goldbergs. See if it's still on hulu. It's a comedy. 

[bookbard]

Have you seen the Mysterious Benedict Society, which is on Disney? All of us loved that, apparently season 2 will be out later this year. It's slightly different from the books and encourages a lot of conversations.