Whoever thought Nickelodeon, the network behind oodles of great TV shows for kids, would make me cynical? But that’s what happened while I was taking an advance peek at the premiere of “Taina.”
The new series follows Taina, a 15-year-old Latina played by Christina Vidal (right), as she attends Manhattan School of the Arts and dreams of stardom. I knew Taina would be cute and sassy, hip and spunky, blahdeeblahblah. That’s cool. But I didn’t expect to groan all the way through her cute and sassy, hip and spunky moments.
The prob is, the show tries sooooo hard that it’s exhausting to watch. Taina is all huge smiles, wide eyes, loud expressions and over-the-top gestures. Whether they’re pouting or flouncing about, Vidal and her cast members overact so intensely that I couldn’t forget for a second that I was watching actors work like crazy to be hip and fun. And, sorry, but is anyone else a little weary of kids who just HAVE to be stars? They’ll do it singing, dancing, acting, whatever … just get them in that spotlight and make sure everyone’s watching! (Are people not getting enough attention these days or what?) That’s Taina’s story, and it got annoying even in the first episode. I almost turned off the TV when Taina burst into a “spontaneous” song about what a star she’s gonna be and how everyone’s gonna know her name, but mercifully the show was just about over. I know her name, sure – but now I associate it with something truly irritating.
See the “Taina” premiere for yourself at 7 p.m. Central Time Sunday on Nickelodeon. You might love the show for its style and, uh, energy. Tell us what you think!
