Skeleton Crew is a show about four kids trying to get home through unanticipated perils and deadly adventures, leaving a positive mark on audiences. It's represented disability in thought-provoking ways. It shows how kids and parents can learn from each other and make amends and how the galaxy needs Neel-level amounts of kindness. But while those are good themes for kids to explore in media and in real life, is this age-appropriate for kids?
How old should kids be to watch Skeleton Crew?
In my extended family, I am the cool aunt who can talk with one nephew about Darth Vader and a niece about Lord Voldemort while making sure another has a Brandon Sanderson book to enjoy. I take my assignment to help my siblings' kids grow up with pop culture seriously, and that includes paying attention to age-appropriate material. I get them into Star Wars when they're old enough to deal with the war elements, but hold off on letting them see a father maim his child in The Empire Strikes Back.
Put more simply, I delight in the fact that I got to introduce a niece and nephew to Young Jedi Adventures last year, but I am keeping them away from Skeleton Crew for years to come.
If you're wondering what age this show is appropriate for, I'd say that the best audience would be roughly 8-12. If this were subject to the rating system of the Motion Picture Association of America, I would put it solidly in the classification of "PG." This is the designation for films where "Some Material May Not Be Suitable For Children." I am all for showing kids a show where friends are the best resource, parents can know best, and you learn that everyone can learn from their mistakes. On the other hand, I strongly reacted at the age of 44 to the assassination of Brutus and the beheading of SM-33. Heck, I even got angry when Jod was mean to the bilge rat. However, every child is different, so someone younger than eight could handle these themes. You know your child better than anyone.
But this is a great show for opening a conversation between kids and parents. It's a way to question how to handle dangerous situations and how to deal with bullying. Parents might use the show's themes to empower and educate their kids on standing up for themselves and why it's okay to admit when they need help as well. It's not even necessary to make these teachable moments. Adults and kids can bond on being part of Neel Nation or whether they saw Jod's betrayal coming. If you need an example of how this can work, just look at one of Daniel Becker's Daddy-Daughter Review articles. This kind of interaction can be instructive for both sides of the conversation.
Skeleton Crew is available for streaming on Disney+.