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Rated: TV-G
Starring: Jamie Lynn Spears, Sean Flynn, and Christopher Massey
Released: February 13, 2007 (DVD) |
Synopsis: Pacific Coast Academy was once a boys-only school, but, now that girls are allowed to attend, Zoey Brooks (Jamie Lynn Spears) is joining her younger brother, Dustin (Paul Butcher), at the beachfront school. She immediately befriends Chase (Sean Flynn), who has a huge crush on her, and Michael (Christopher Massey), both of whom show her the ropes. She and her roommates--sweet, boy-crazed Nicole (Alexa Nicholas) and no-nonsense tomboy Dana (Kristin Herrera)--and her other friends, including crazed inventor/scientist Quinn (Erin Sanders), get into some crazy adventures! Whether it's attending a dance where everyone's date is assigned via a personality quiz, trying to get Drake Bell to perform at a social function, or dealing with a classmate (Allison Scagliotti-Smith,
Drake & Josh) who steals Zoey's "crafty" idea, laughs, drama, and romance abound! Filmed on location at Pepperdine University.
Plots: 3/5
Though relatively engrossing, the episodes in this set pale in comparison story-wise to DanWarp's other creations, most notably
iCarly,
VICTORiOUS, and
Drake & Josh. They're more lighthearted
dramas than insane sitcoms, and the former just isn't Mr. Schneider's strong suit.
Production Values: 4.5/5
At least the set is relatively well-crafted. The sets are great, though that's probably only because they used a real university. The acting is pretty good, yet nothing special. Some of the music, especially the theme song, can be annoying at times.
Content Concerns:
- Sex: Totally G-rated romance; kissing, flirting, etc. About as innocent as Lizzie McGuire in that department. 4.75/5
- Nudity: Shirtless guys, and the girls tend to wear tiny shorts and/or tops that show off their midriffs. Occasionally, girls/women are seen in bikinis as well. 3.5/5
- Drugs: One character eats some genetically engineered chips that have some drug-like side effects. 4.25/5
- Language: At least one misuse of God's name per episode. 3.75/5
- Violence: Mostly slapstick, though one scene does feature Zoey having a bloody nose. 4/5
- Frightening/Intense Scenes: Nothing really; it's all quite lighthearted. 5/5
- Other: Some bathroom humor. 3.75/5
Conclusion: The first time I watched a full episode of
Zoey 101, I called it "a half-hour of my life I can never get back." Though I wouldn't quite say that now, I would say that this series--at least, based on this first season--pales in comparison to pretty much anything else Dan Schneider has ever created. Those who adore this series probably have already watched this set twenty-plus times, but, for those who are new to it, I would suggest catching an episode of
Drake & Josh or
iCarly, or watching the movies
Big Fat Liar and
Good Burger. Those are much funnier and more involving than I found
Zoey 101 to be.
Score: 3/5
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