38. So Random! (TV Show)

SO RANDOM! (on Disney Channel)

Season 1 Episode 6

GENRE: Comedy

HONORS: N/A

REVIEW:

Originally a show within a show, So Random! now holds its own half hour spot after the cancellation of Sonny with a Chance with the departure of the show’s star, Demi Lovato.  With the majority of the show’s teen cast in tact, So Random! is a sketch comedy show with a live audience of teens and tweens.  This episode contains seven humorous sketches that address tween and teen interests, ranging from getting braces to asking a girl on a date to becoming popular.  Each of the episodes features a musical guest popular among tweens with past guests including Cody Simpson, Greyson Chance, and Selena Gomez and the Scene.  This episode ends with a musical performance by Coco Jones, a twelve-year-old singer and rapper that won Radio Disney’s Next Big Thing talent contest in 2010.

OPINION:

As a child of the nineties, this show reminded me of All That on Nickelodeon with the teen cast performing sketches and each episode ending with a musical guest.  Although that show will always have a place in my heart, I really enjoyed this episode of So Random! and I found many of the sketches very witty.  “Sally Jenson: Kid Lawyer” made me remember my own middle school days when other students would sign the standard responses of “KIT” and “Stay cool” in yearbooks.  Spoofing the commercials for lawyers like Larry H. Parker on television, Sally Jenson goes after kids that make false statements in yearbooks, fighting against yearbook fraud and delivering hilarious punishments.  This show is a wonderful tween alternative to Saturday Night Live, providing humorous sketches that they can relate to, as well as tween-friendly musical guests.

IDEAS:

The library could hold a So Random! night for fans of the show to come watch a couple of episodes with snacks and drinks provided.  It could also serve as inspiration for a sketch comedy library program, inviting tweens to write their own sketches along with help from a youth librarian and hold a performance of the best sketches at the program’s final meeting.