Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Alexa & Katie is an incredibly kind show. In a moment where cynicism and contempt seem to reign supreme, this new Netflix comedy celebrates kindness, courage, and the unflagging strength of friendship. It also seeks to normalize a frightening topic for teens: cancer.
Yes, Alexa & Katie is Netflix’s “teen cancer” show. It focuses on young Alexa Mendoza, an exuberant teen who doesn’t want her cancer diagnosis to get in the way of her life. In the first few episodes, Alexa seems more concerned about missing out on her dreams of making the high school basketball team than she does about her illness.
As Alexa, actress Paris Berelc gobbles up the screen. She’s so confident and charismatic that it doesn’t seem like cancer could even touch her — which is very much the point. As the show’s stars told reporters at a recent press event, Alexa & Katie wants to normalize cancer in such a way so that kids watching know that it’s not just something you can beat, but something you can live with. (Contrast this positive attitude with any scene mentioning the “c-word” on E.R.)
With that in mind, most of Alexa & Katie is actually devoted to Alexa’s friendship with the sweet, nervous, pleasing girl-next-door Katie, played by Isabel May. In many ways, May’s sharp comic timing is what sells the upbeat tone of Alexa & Katie. May has an earnest daffiness that makes Katie instantly lovable. She’s like a baby Lisa Kudrow. Rounding out the cast are Tiffani Thiessen, playing Alexa’s “smothering” mother, Lori Mendoza, Eddie Shin as Alexa’s father, Dave Mendoza, Jolie Jenkins as Katie’s deadpanning single mom, and Emory Kelly as Alexa’s dreamboat of a brother (whom Katie naturally has a crush on).
Alexa & Katie has a rhythm and feel of a well-made Disney Channel show. It’s got a familiar multi-cam set up, positive messaging, and a cast of cutesy characters. Even though comparing a Netflix show to something on the Disney Channel might seem like a knock, Alexa & Katie’s aesthetic is actually a strength. It provides an upbeat framing advice for the very serious topics the show is addressing.
Because Alexa & Katie isn’t just about one girl’s battle with cancer. It’s an ambitiously progressive show that wants to touch political topics without making them overtly political or, that ubiquitous buzzword, “edgy.” Alexa’s family is bi-racial, Katie’s mom struggles financially, and none of this is swept out of the way of the story. Katie’s family’s money troubles become key plot points. And her mom’s attempt to move on post-divorce is played with the same mix of humor and emotion as Alexa’s mom’s struggle to balance work, life, and life with a kid with cancer.
Alexa & Katie is also emphatically about Alexa and Katie. It’s about these two young women and their beautiful friendship. Because the show focuses on the intense friendship of the girls, and not just Alexa’s illness, it sends a unique message about courage. Yes, Alexa is brave. She’s staring down cancer, dealing with bullies, and approaching every moment of her adolescence with an indefatigable spirit.
But Katie is a hero, too. Katie’s ardent selflessness is often what gives Alexa the strength to see her goals to the end. Whether we’re talking about how she shaves her head to make Alexa feel better about losing her hair, or how she puts herself out for the basketball team so Alexa can play vicariously through her, Katie is an almost perfect friend. She doesn’t flinch when Alexa throws bad news her way. She digs in. It’s an example of utter strength that you don’t see every day.
If Alexa is inspirational, Katie is aspirational. Alexa reminds us to never give up while Katie offers up an example of how we should hope to be. Is Alexa & Katie sugar-y sweet? Yes. Is its humor groundbreaking? No. Is it a worthwhile watch? Absolutely. Alexa & Katie is the kind of show they hardly make anymore: it’s entertainment served up with a dash of hope.
Season 1 of Alexa & Katie is now streaming on Netflix.
