Parents need to know that Mo is a comedy-drama series about a Palestinian man and his family living in Texas while they wait for their asylum request to be approved. The series looks at the American immigration process, as well as how Mo straddles American and Palestinian cultures in his everyday life. It boasts positive messages about perseverance, responsibility, and cultural identity, but the characters utter homophobic remarks and profanity, and alcohol and drugs are featured.
Poignant but humorous take on refugees making their lives in America
The realistic plight of refugees coming to America is portrayed in an engaging, heartfelt way, laced with humor. So many moments are so much deeper than what they seem, and viewers can learn a lot from watching. The star is also the author so it is autobiographical. The cast is diverse and based in the city where he grew up, Houston (the most diverse city in the US), so it is very realistic. One thing parents should know and the reason I rated the age higher is that, besides some of the mature topics refugees deal with, like torture (before they left Kuwait), quite a few scenes happen in a strip club, and scantily clad girls are shown (no nudity though). I would increase the sex rating Common Sense has given as a result. It feels like whoever did their review/rating hasn’t watched the show because there is no mention of this.
What's the Story?
Mo is a Palestenian immigrant living in Texas with his family while they await government approval of their request for asylum. When he loses his job because of increased crackdowns on undocumented workers, Mo has to find new ways to make money while juggling a personal life that straddles American culture and his Palestenian heritage.
As unique as Mo Amer's artistic voice feels, shows like this often need time to reach their greatest heights -- here's hoping Amer gets it. Some of the best television comes from shows that zero in on the day-to-day lives of Americans whose stories rarely get told; Amer has the precise mix of gravity and low-key comedic charm to anchor such a project. Mo's world immediately feels fully realized. He's at the center of a handful of competing cultures, from his Palestinian family to the neighborhood circles he runs in to the way he's perceived by fellow Texans. But the series doesn't quite feel like it's hit its storytelling stride, casually joking around about topics like immigration, mass shootings, and income disparity rather than using that humor to say something substantial about them.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Mo's family. How have they adapted to life in America? What place does American culture have in Mo's life? How does this contrast with Mo's Palestinian upbringing?
What is Mo's family's immigration status? What does the show seem to say about immigration in America? What does it reveal about the immigration system that you didn't know before?
What other contemporary American issues come up on the show? What is unique about Mo's perspective?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Marty Brown
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
