Parent reviews for PEN15 (2024)

Have been watching with my 11 yo daughter . Some of the content is mature and uncomfortable but has been a great way to talk about stuff that is sure to be on my kiddos mind. Maya and Anna make some awful mistakes about friendships and popularity and boys, and these are all learning moments. I think I’m least comfortable with the casual drug/alcohol use that isn’t too pervasive but a big red flag for middle schoolers. Appreciate the willingness to talk about girls and masturbation, as uncomfortable as some parents are with that. It’s a missing piece of sex ed that deserves affirmation. Some great material here about racism, harassment/bullying, sexuality and friendship.

I watched this alone, after hearing about it on an NPR podcast. I had seen the movie 8th grade and was expecting something similar. And it was...but it also had more. I loved how it showed Anna and Maya’s friendship sustaining them through the new experiences and changes they went through, even though their relationship had its rocky points. I also liked how they made an effort to show the various degrees of maturity in 13 yo kids. That being said....know your own kid before letting them watch this. They packed a lot into the 1st season, sexual awakening, menstruation, 1st boyfriends, crushes, drugs, parent relationships, the popular clique...and through it all, those girls came back to their rock solid friendship. Loved it. I wish I had a friendship like that when I was 13.

As an adult, I adore this weird but insightful show with an intense passion. While PEN15 is set in a junior high/middle school and centers around two 7th grade girls, the show really isn't aimed at a tween or teen audience. Rather, by having grown women playing middle schoolers surrounded by actual 13-year-olds, you end up with a rare sense of perspective on a very awkward age. PEN15 very graphically shows masturbation, intimate boy-girl touching, and some truly cringeworthy exchanges between parents and youth. I love it; but I think adults would "get" the show better than a tweens or teens.

Don’t waste your time. They tried way to hard to be relatable, and it blew up in their face in my opinion. I stopped watching after episode 7 because of Maya. I despised her nasty character. I can get that this show is for mature audiences, and some scenes are totally relatable! But Maya’s extreme obsession with masturbation, her and Anna sharing a thong, longing looking at older men, and her overall character was aggravating to watch. Her character drove me CRAZY. I really wanted to watch this show, but she ruined it for me.

VBEfamily Parent of 11, 13 and 16-year-old

Watching the 2nd episode with my daughter, a weird scene with pony dolls and the character Maya exploring her body. One close up was just offensive and baffling. I was open to watching this but not after that scene. Another example: an odd scene with a close up of exaggerated, enormous breasts.

Sarah B. Parent of 10 and 12-year-old