Stream It Or Skip It

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Brainchild’ On Netflix, Where Fun Thought Experiments Give Kids Insight Into Interesting Topics

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Shows that help kids understand science are as old as TV itself dating all the way back to when Mr. Wizard was making things bubble and foam on daytime TV. But kids, especially preteens and teens, are much more sophisticated today, and science shows need to connect on a different level than they used to. Enter Brainchild, a Netflix series produced by Pharrell Williams and created by the team that brought us Brain Games. Sounds good so far, right? Read on to find out about your family’s next bings…


Opening Shot: A group of teenage girls see a beautiful picture from the “Selfie Queen” on “Instaglam” and think its amazing. Then another teen steps out of the group and tells them all the work that went into taking that supposedly “spontaneous” shot.

The Gist: The girl that ruins “Instaglam” for the group of teens is Brainchild host Sahana Srinivasan, who then goes on to discuss why social media is so prevalent, why people give likes to some posts but not others, and more topics.

But the show isn’t just about someone explaining things to the audience and spewing statistics. It consists of thought experiments that really illuminate how and why our brains think a certain way. For instance, in one experiment, a photo with millions of likes and one with only a few is shown to kids and adults, and they’re supposed to pick which they like the best. Then the pictures are switched, and the results are surprising but not shocking. Some of the concepts are explained by the show’s “Science Friend,” Alie Ward (who kids may know from her appearances on CBS’ Innovation Nation).

In another experiment, two groups of teens are shown a YouTube video of a girl singing an overwrought song. One group is told that they may have to read the feedback to the singer, the other group is told their comments would remain anonymous. It doesn’t take a genius to know what happened next.

Other topics explored by the 13-episode first season: Dreams, emotions, superheroes, motivation and more.

Brainchild on Netflix

Our Take: Brainchild is produced by Pharrell Williams and created by the same team that brought us Nat Geo’s Brain Games; it’s a great way for kids and their parents to learn some things they might not have known via thought experiments that are designed to be interactive. At different points during the show, Sahana will ask the audience to make a choice among a group, and then they can see if their choice matched the results of the experiment or quiz that’s given. In the social media episode, for instance, the multiple choice is given to show why the “humblebrag” is actually disliked more than a post or video that straight-out brags.

What we like about the show is that it refuses to talk down to its audience. Preteens and teens in 2018 don’t need to have things spelled out to them, especially because they have the world at their fingertips via their smartphones. It also has a great sense of humor, as we noticed when comedian Judah Friedlander appeared in the first episode as a guy who carries around all the functions that a smartphone does.

Both of the show’s regulars, Srinivasan and Ward, are personable and do a fine job of connecting with the intended audience, and each episode moves by quickly. Even if an episode centers around a topic you know a lot about — in the germ episode, for instance, they talk about the 5-second rule via people dropping donuts at Brooklyn’s DeKalb Market Hall and seeing who eats them — the experiments around them are entertaining enough that you want to watch, anyway.

Brainchild on Netflix

What Age Group Is This For?: This is definitely aimed towards teenagers, though preteens will likely get something out of this, too.

Sleeper Star: Alie Ward seems to have found a niche as a science explainer, and she’s pretty good at that job, despite not being a scientist.

Most Pilot-y Line: Nothing.

Our Call: STREAM IT. If you’re looking for a show you can watch with your teen or preteen that they won’t hate, Brainchild is a good choice.


Watch Brainchild on Netflix