That Girl Lay Lay

Technically, the show is sound: it has an engaging premise, a diverse cast, traditional sitcom conventions, and a bright and colorful set. Visually and structurally, That Girl Lay Lay feels like live-action a Nickelodeon show from any era. It also contains positive messages and its leads are Black. It's a bit heavy on the laugh track and there is quite a bit of cartoonish slapstick humor, but that's to be expected for the genre. As an example, one of the greatest offenses comes from the end of the pilot episode, where instead of a presidential debate, the two candidates perform dances as if this were a talent show instead of student government. It's not long before the whole school joins in and the principal announces that Sadie has won the election by applause instead of from a formal vote. Younger kids will like this show, with its predictable unreality, but their parents or older siblings unlikely to enjoy watching with them for longer than a few minutes.

One place That Girl Lay Lay really shines is in taking aim at those in power as the targets of jokes. For instance, the trope of a character who is incredibly oblivious or naive doesn't go to one of the kid characters, but rather to the school principal. She's technologically behind, using a flip phone to keep tabs on school happenings. She also often fails to notice what kids right behind her are up to, while she utters her catchphrase "nothing gets past me." This allows the students, particularly Sadie and Lay Lay, to never be looked down upon or bullied. It's their world, and the teachers and school principal just happen to live there, too.