TV shows for 8-12 year old that won't have the adults crying inside

[Glamgwen]

Just that really! Looking for TV/film recommendations (on any streaming service) that grown-ups & kids of this age can enjoy together. We loved Wednesday & Heartstopper and looking for a similar boxset or films we can get stuck into for Autumn. Nothing too cutesy American (we're not fans of the Descendants)

I would say yes to Ghosts, and depends on how they are with scary stuff to Wednesday. Our 10yo has watched Wednesday all the way through and loved it, but it's too scary for the nearly 8yo.

Sister, sister on Netflix

@Willowkins 😳

If you liked Wednesday then maybe tryBuffy the Vampire Slayer (Sarah Michelle Geller one). I’m currently on series 3 with my 12 year old. Do explain that it’s quite ham beforehand though!

I’ve watched Wednesday recently and won’t let DD (just turned 10) watch it. It’s rated as 12 and over for a reason, imo. That said, she says everyone at her school has watched it (not quite true as I know her bff’s mum has vetoed it too).

Ghosts definitely. Also Horrible Histories. I’m always happy to watch some Sabrina the Teenage Witch (original). Also - Jeremy Brett’s Sherlock Holmes has gone down very well here.

My 11yo likes Ghosts (UK version, US one not as charming) and Outnumbered. So Awkward was much loved by my DDs at 11-12.

Thanks to those who answered my question about Ghosts and Wednesday. We might give Ghosts a try then.

She is ok with Harry Potter so will probably be ok with Wednesday. She watched and liked Ghostbusters Afterlife too.

It's on Disney +

My 9 and 10 year olds love:
Is it Cake?
Bake off junior
Ninja warriors
Lego masters
Floor is Lava
Star Wars - Clone wars, Rebels, Ahsoka
David Attenborough series, Planet earth etc
Any historical renactment series
A place in the sun ( they like grading the swimming pools 😄)

@Serenitymummy re Julian in Ghosts - he's certainly a cad, and one of those politicians who is a bit 'handsy' 🤮 for want of a better phrase. but I think you see regret and remorse in his character too, thinking of the episode where the baby is left in his room and he regrets missing christmases with his daughter. But my DD is 12, so she knows that some males are like that, sadly

The Mysterious Benedict Society is no longer on Disney Plus! A shame as we really enjoyed that series too 😔

Taskmaster is excellent family viewing, there is a bleeped version for watching with younger viewers (channel 4).

A kind of Spark on bbc i player

the Dog House and Pets Factor.

My 12 year old got really into Deadly 60 so we are now watching Steve Backshall in Whale, with Shark to look forward to.

He has a tendency to watch programmes that are much too young for him and get very upset when we suggest someone else should have a turn to choose but I've put my foot down and at least I and DD get a choice (DH is being no use in this endeavour by saying "I don't mind") and doing that every day has got him used to other people choosing, he's even asked to watch some of our choices at school (he's in specialist school which seems to mean all watching TV and no academic work).

I can't believe no-one has mentioned The Secret of Sulphur Springs!! We love it (even me!) -it's on Disney+
Also, Big Shot and then The Mighty Ducks (New remake tv show, not original movies)

Just Add Magic on Prime is really good!

Inbestigators is great! Genuinely funny.

My 10yo watches a lot of wildlife documentaries (and Winterwatch at the moment)

8-12 is quite a large span, IMO. I'd be comfortable with letting a 12 year old watch most series, but not so much the 8 year old.

Worst Witch
Roman Mysteries
On youtube, you can watch the whole of the Australian-NZ series 'Mirror, Mirror', which is about 2 girls - early teens - one from 1995 and one from 1919, who can travel to each other's times through a mirror. Focuses on them trying to stop a drum of toxic waste marked 1919 from being dumped in a neighbouring well to injure two other children in 1995.

Oh, and Find me in Paris is great. (Both Secret of Sulphur Springs and Find me in Paris involve time travel in really cool ways)

Traitors!!!! My 8yr old loves it!

Ghosts is great too. And she likes Modern Family which I can tolerate

@purplemunkey ghosts is definitely fine. My 8yr old loves it. There are some more grown up bits and euphemisms she always wants explaining but overall it’s ‘moral’ for want of a better word so I don’t mind that.

Wednesday she was a little bit scared at but also loved. She then watched it over again a few times on her own and isn’t scared anymore. It’s really not that bad at all.

Blimey @Strangermanger - this thread is from months ago - we’ve watched all of Ghosts now 😀It was good.

Not sure Traitors is appropriate. I recently binged season 1 and it was full of swearing, no?

We like free rein but my girls are horse obsessed so that's probably why!