8.4
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
Better Things (2016)
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Viewer Rating
Rating: 8.4
Overview
Sam Fox is a single, working actor with no filter trying to raise her three daughters – Max, Frankie and Duke – in Los Angeles. She is mom, dad, referee and the cops.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Bias Dimensions
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
LGBTQ: Positive
Trans: Positive
Judaism: Positive
Overview
Sam Fox is a single, working actor with no filter trying to raise her three daughters – Max, Frankie and Duke – in Los Angeles. She is mom, dad, referee and the cops.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Primary
The series focuses on the deeply personal and apolitical themes of a single mother's life, navigating family, career, and aging with raw authenticity. While it features a strong female protagonist and implicitly critiques some societal pressures, its core message champions individual resilience and the messy reality of family bonds rather than promoting any specific political ideology or solution.
The series features visible diversity among its supporting characters, reflecting its urban setting, but does not explicitly recast traditionally white roles for its main cast. The narrative focuses on the protagonist's personal and professional life without explicitly critiquing traditional identities or making DEI themes central to its core message.
Secondary
Better Things offers a positive portrayal of LGBTQ+ themes through the character arc of Frankie, who explores her non-binary identity. The show depicts her journey with dignity and complexity, emphasizing the supportive and accepting relationship with her mother, Sam, thereby affirming queer identity within a family context.
Better Things features a trans man character, Jay, in a relationship with Max. The show portrays his identity with dignity and respect. Sam's reaction is supportive and affirming, guiding Max towards acceptance. The narrative avoids stereotypes, framing trans identity positively within a loving relationship, resulting in a net positive impact.
The show portrays the Fox family's Jewish cultural heritage, primarily through Sam's mother, Phil, and occasional references to traditions. This heritage is presented as an integral, often humorous and affectionate, part of their family identity, contributing to character depth with respect and nuance.
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
Better Things is an original series featuring characters created specifically for the show. There is no prior source material, historical figures, or legacy characters from which a gender swap could occur.
Better Things is an original television series, not an adaptation of pre-existing material or a historical biopic. All characters were created for this specific show, meaning there are no prior canonical or historical racial depictions to be altered.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
7.9
7.2
Critic Ratings
9.8
8.8
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