Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the thing about Zach Stone: it's genuinely clever, early Bo Burnham at his satirical best, with ratings that prove it connected with audiences. The premise—delusional teen hires camera crew to document his quest for fame—is pitch-perfect commentary on our culture's obsession with being watched.

But it's also a 2013 MTV show that lasted one season, which means it's obscure, somewhat dated, and your teen has probably never heard of it. The cringe comedy format means watching Zach fail spectacularly at every fame attempt, which is either hilarious or painful depending on your tolerance for secondhand embarrassment.

For the right teen—one who appreciates satire, understands social commentary, and can handle awkward comedy—this could be a hidden gem that sparks great conversations about authenticity and what we're really chasing when we chase fame. For everyone else, it's a weird old MTV show they'll bail on after ten minutes.

The 98% RT audience score suggests those who stick with it really love it, but let's be real: most modern teens will find it too dated and too uncomfortable to finish.

Age Fit

Best for teens 14-17 who can appreciate satire and won't take Zach's behavior as aspirational. The cringe comedy format and social commentary require enough maturity to understand you're laughing at the protagonist, not with him.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

55

This is a mockumentary about a narcissistic teen who hires a camera crew to document his quest for fame instead of going to college. The premise inherently centers on vanity, delusion, and self-absorption. While it's satirical and ultimately critiques these values, the show spends most of its runtime immersed in Zach's misguided attempts at fame, which doesn't model particularly healthy behavior. The tone is comedic rather than mean-spirited, but it's not exactly wholesome either—it's more cringe comedy about a kid making terrible decisions.

Imaginative

72

Created by Bo Burnham early in his career, the show has a genuinely creative premise—a reality TV parody that follows a delusional teen's various schemes to become famous. Each episode features different 'fame attempts' (becoming a rapper, a hero, etc.), which shows inventive storytelling. The mockumentary format itself is imaginative, and Burnham's comedic sensibility brings originality to the teen comedy genre. However, without more details on execution, and given it's a relatively obscure single-season show, the imaginative score is solid but not exceptional.

Safe

68

Common Sense Media rates it 14+, suggesting some mature themes appropriate for teens. Given it aired on MTV and follows Bo Burnham's comedic style, expect some language, sexual references, and potentially embarrassing/cringe situations. The show likely avoids graphic content but probably includes teen party scenes, romantic mishaps, and crude humor typical of MTV comedies from that era. No specific trigger warnings flagged, but the cringe comedy format could be uncomfortable. Netflix kids mode is available, suggesting some content controls exist.

Enriching

65

The show is essentially a satire of fame culture, reality TV, and narcissism—themes that are highly relevant and could spark meaningful conversations about social media, authenticity, and what truly matters. Bo Burnham's work typically contains sharp social commentary beneath the comedy. However, the lessons are delivered through satire and cringe rather than direct teaching, and viewers need enough maturity to understand they're watching a critique, not a blueprint. It's entertaining and thought-provoking for teens who get the joke, but not deeply enriching in a traditional sense.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Early Bo Burnham brilliance—sharp satire of fame culture and reality TV that's arguably more relevant now than in 2013
Stellar ratings (98% RT audience, 8.3 IMDb) suggest this cult favorite really lands with those who find it
Cringe comedy that could spark great conversations about social media, authenticity, and what actually matters in life
Each episode features different 'fame schemes' keeping the format fresh and inventive

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What to Watch For

The whole show is about a narcissistic, delusional teen making terrible decisions—it's satire, but younger viewers might miss that
Expect MTV-level content: some language, sexual references, party scenes, and plenty of secondhand embarrassment
Single season from 2013 means it's a bit dated and references may not land with Gen Alpha
Cringe comedy format isn't for everyone—if your kid hates The Office-style awkwardness, they'll hate this

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think Zach wants to be famous so badly? What do you think he's actually looking for?"
"Have you ever seen someone do something embarrassing just to get attention online? How is that similar to what Zach does?"
"The show is making fun of Zach's choices—what do you think it's trying to say about fame and reality TV?"
"If you could be famous for something, what would it be? Would you want cameras following you around?"

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