6 Kids Shows That Have Changed The Conversation

3. Gortimer Gibbon’s Life On Normal Street (Amazon)

With huge networks like Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, it’s easy to overlook the original content from streaming services like Netflix or Amazon. But we shouldn’t. One show worth bingeing in particular is Amazon’s “Gortimer Gibbon’s Life On Normal Street.” In this show, the world is anything but normal. Whether it’s supernatural, or just imagination at work, Gortimer Gibbon and his friends had some pretty great adventures and learned a lot.

Perhaps the most important lesson learned in the series came from a story arc centered on Mel, Gortimer’s inventor best friend. When Mel’s mom suddenly dies, none of the kids know what to do next. Mel, struggling to cope with her grief, builds a time machine to go back and save her mom. Gortimer and Ranger can’t seem to help, no matter how hard they try. When Mel can’t save her mom, the grief hits her in full force and she finally turns to her friends.

Grief is hard for anyone, and there’s no right way to approach it. This is the point Amazon makes, and they do it in a kid-friendly manner. The journey Mel has to take to get through the loss is one that is relatable for some and humbling for most. With most kids shows focusing on the struggles of living with family, Amazon explored the other side of that spectrum, making it one of the only kids shows to even approach the topic.