Not Just Nostalgia: Why Thoughtful Kids and Teens TV Is More Important Than Ever

Today’s kids deserve that same magic, but are they getting it? What stories do you think our (current or future)children need? Let's talk in the chat (something important may be in there too hehe)!

Yesterday, I randomly thought about Disney and Nickelodeon, so I decided to turn them on. My first real reaction was: Wait... all I see are a bunch of cartoons. Like, a lot of Bluey.

It hit me. I learned about romance, bullying, and how being weird and fully yourself is better than pretending to be someone else all from these shows. Society has shifted so much since the 2000s and even more in the 2010s. May I just add Kenny Ortega was deep in his bag with the dances in High School Musical and Descendants (which I still watch don’t judge me).

I also think the perception of how these networks wanted their actors to be versus how things actually played out, plays a big role in what’s changed (and trust me, we’ll talk more about that later). The way we create and consume content is completely different now. Kids today rely more on YouTube than traditional TV and that’s valid, but something about the entire shift just doesn’t sit right with me. (Except Ms. Rachel. Never, ever am I talking about that lovely woman. She is my queen. I love her, get the reference?)

There used to be so much anticipation like waiting until 8 p.m. to catch the newest episode, counting down the days to the latest Disney Channel Original Movie or Nickelodeon movie, and getting hyped for those special holiday episodes or surprise celebrity cameos. Even as a toddler, I had Sprout and PBS, and part of the magic was waiting — it made the experience feel special, connected. That feeling is missing now.

What’s also missing now is consistency. Remember when shows had main characters that stuck with us? Drake & Josh, That’s So Raven, Victorious, Good Luck Charlie — these weren’t just shows, they were role models. They taught us how to handle friendship drama, school struggles, and life lessons. Those “say no to drugs” episodes, the bullying PSAs, the cyberbullying talks, weren’t corny. They meant something. They helped shape how we showed up in the real world.

Now? We don’t have the same structure. These days, that kind of structure just doesn’t exist. And with it gone, so are the spaces that helped define a generation. TeenNick, the CW, and ABC weren’t just channels; they were cultural checkpoints.

We had Degrassi, Switched at Birth, even Pretty Little Liars. Content that met us right in the messy, emotional middle. Teens today are either being infantilized or prematurely aged. With no real teen-focused content, they’re applying either adult or childish solutions to situations that need something balanced. Something made for them.

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And I really believe a big part of the problem is that new writers aren’t being let in. These networks are playing it safe, recycling familiar formulas instead of welcoming fresh perspectives. There’s nothing wrong with seasoned writers, there’s just something deeply wrong with not pairing them with newer voices. Because that combo? That’s how you get something like Andi Mack that is relevant, real, and still rooted in that classic Disney/Nick magic. The Zombies franchise came so close to last decade Disney and it’s one of the best movies this generation of kids has. It gives me hope.

I want my future kids to have their own golden Disney and Nickelodeon era. Not just random shows, but eras. With theme songs that live rent-free in their heads. With characters they want to dress up as. With stories that actually help them grow.

There used to be a clear difference between right and wrong, yes and no. Shows used to help us figure that out, they taught us how to grow up without rushing it. They gave us stories that stuck.

Now? It’s a blur. Everything’s either too soft, too adult, or trying way too hard to go viral.

And that’s not just sad - it’s dangerous.

Because we needed those stories to survive the hardest parts of growing up. And our kids? They need them even more. They’re navigating a world louder, faster, and more confusing than ours ever was.

They deserve characters who feel like friends. Storylines that show them how to feel things fully. A space that doesn’t age them up or water them down.

So no, this isn’t just about missing the good ol’ days. This is about building something better. Something honest. Something necessary. It’s our job to create, protect, and nurture today’s kids.

Bring back the content that raised us. Because now, it’s our turn to raise them.

~Sincerely, a future mother navigating her not-so serious twenties

(P.S. If any writers/screenwriters are looking for a collaborator, call me sweetie💌)