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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this isn't a normal show for a 14 year old girl to be interested in?

162 replies

dancingqueef · 21/10/2023 21:03

My niece has taken interest in this show recently, its not exactly innapropriate but aibu to wonder why she's interested in it?

The show is This is Us, from what i can tell it's made for adults and isn't advertised to teenagers at all. I thought most girls that age were watching Riverdale or Pretty Little Liars (I know my slightly younger dd is.) I'm not bothered that she watches the show I'm just wondering why shes interested 😂

Asked my sister why her daughter was watching a show meant for 30-somethings and she got annoyed, am I completely out of touch and unreasonable?

OP posts:
wellingtonsandwaffles · 21/10/2023 21:07

It’s a good show, well made, with a large part of it about teenage experiences. I’d rather she watch that than the reality trash or terribly made teen dramas

All2Well · 21/10/2023 21:08

I don't think it's abnormal at all. There are teens in This Is Us. It's a family drama and quite comforting.

I find your judgement of it weirder than her watching it and it was rude to express these thoughts to your sister.

Neurodiversitydoctor · 21/10/2023 21:08

I watched " this life" in the 1990s when I was a teenager I think that was aimed at an older audience. We also loved ER, blackadder and whose line is it anyway. I don't think any of those are kid's shoes. I loathed Beverly Hills 90210 which was aimed at my age group. I also could never stand friends a few years later.

NuffSaidSam · 21/10/2023 21:09

I think it's fairly normal teenage fodder.

I was watching similar shows as a teen.

You seem to have a very narrow view of what's 'normal'. I'd work on widening your outlook.

Namechangeforthis88 · 21/10/2023 21:09

My 14 year old watches loads of stuff that isn't aimed at teenagers. Loads.

Girasoli · 21/10/2023 21:09

It might not be the most usual show for a 14 year old girl to like but there's nothing inappropriate on it, people like what they like.

I used to love Star Gate as a teenager and my 7 year old loves home makeover shows on Netflix (tiny house nation is his favourite).

ramron · 21/10/2023 21:11

Nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t contain nudity or violence, it can be sad but it’s also very heartwarming and funny

theduchessofspork · 21/10/2023 21:12

There’s nothing wrong with it that I can think of. Lots of 14 year olds watch either solely adult TV or mix it with young adult stuff. Same as reading fiction.

Dibblydoodahdah · 21/10/2023 21:12

This is Us is a fantastic show. There is nothing inappropriate in it for a 14 year old. It’s about life and, as others have said, features the main characters as kids and teenagers as well as adults.

Iudncuewbccgrcb · 21/10/2023 21:12

Oh it's a great show and there is an awful lot about teenage experiences as well as adult experiences.

I think I would have enjoyed it as a teen in the same way as e.g. Greys Anatomy, Neighbours, Eastenders etc.

WiddlinDiddlin · 21/10/2023 21:13

I was hooked on This Life at 15/16, definitely wasn't aimed at our age-group at all but quite a lot of us at school loved it.

Some kids mature faster than others (in some respects, not necessarily all) and want to watch stuff that is a bit of a 'level up' to others within their peer group. That's perfectly normal. I was also reading the Jean M Auel clan of the cave bear series from 14 on (hehehe 1 guesses as to why THAT was so very exciting) but also mothers Agatha Christie and Nevil Shute collection.

I didn't read Harry Potter until well into adulthood!

aSofaNearYou · 21/10/2023 21:17

I watched tons of things that weren't aimed at teenagers as a teen - period dramas were a key genre. I watched teen dramas too.

Teens aren't all totally uniform!

Jigglypufff · 21/10/2023 21:20

I was watching Murder She Wrote as a teen as well as Friends and Frasier.

This is Us is a really well written show, Riverdale and PLL are worse imo.

Winnipeggy · 21/10/2023 21:21

Perfectly normal, I was watching much more adult targeted things at that age, it's fairly tame really. Teenagers are interested in adult lives, it's not weird or inappropriate

Fionaville · 21/10/2023 21:21

I don't see anything is wrong with a teen watching it. Better that than all the 'reality' stuff.
Teen of the 90s and we all watched Coronation Street, Brookside and Eastenders. It's got to be better than all of them!

Somewhatchallenging · 21/10/2023 21:23

I’d think that was a very normal show to watch

Winnipeggy · 21/10/2023 21:24

dancingqueef · 21/10/2023 21:03

My niece has taken interest in this show recently, its not exactly innapropriate but aibu to wonder why she's interested in it?

The show is This is Us, from what i can tell it's made for adults and isn't advertised to teenagers at all. I thought most girls that age were watching Riverdale or Pretty Little Liars (I know my slightly younger dd is.) I'm not bothered that she watches the show I'm just wondering why shes interested 😂

Asked my sister why her daughter was watching a show meant for 30-somethings and she got annoyed, am I completely out of touch and unreasonable?

And if you asked your sister this verbatim then yes I'd say that it's pretty unreasonable. You probably made her think that their was something odd about her daughter, so maybe apologise for that.

threecupsofteaminimum · 21/10/2023 21:24

YABU

I've never been into typical popular stuff, perhaps you need to broaden your outlook.

HelinaHandcart · 21/10/2023 21:25

That’s a really bizarre take, OP.

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 21/10/2023 21:26

Well it’s hardly Game of Thrones 😂. When I was 15 I used to watch Midsomer Murders with my Grandma 😂.

Girasoli · 21/10/2023 21:27

WiddlinDiddlin I loved DMs Clan of the Cave Bear books. Probably read them at a similar age to you.

skippy67 · 21/10/2023 21:27

am I completely out of touch and unreasonable?

Yes.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 21/10/2023 21:29

I thought most girls that age were watching Riverdale or Pretty Little Liars (I know my slightly younger dd is.)

Why would you think all teenage girls should be the same and watch stereotypical teenage girl stuff just because they are its target audience. Teenagers are individuals and have brains and can watch things because they're interesting. What a depressing attitude!

sunshineandshowers40 · 21/10/2023 21:30

I love This is us, my 14 year old son has watched a few episodes with me, but it's not his thing (I'm always crying), I see no problem with a teenager wanting to watch it and enjoying it.

buttondown · 21/10/2023 21:30

My son watched it at 13/14 and we regularly talked about it. It's surely not that bizarre that teenagers can enjoy the same shows as adults? It's a great series and really well made.