My Generation (2010–2011) User Reviews

Good and Has Plenty of Pontential

[AltaireIII · 7/10 · 24 September 2010]

My Generation chronicles 9 high school students 10 years after their graduation in Austin, TX. The stereotypical high school groups are well represented. Face it, everyone in high school is part of a group and everyone has a label regardless of how accurate it is.

Ten years later all roads lead to Austin even for those who no longer live there. Without going into much detail, the pilot episode manages to give us all a brief back story on each character. An in depth history is not possible for all 9 characters in a one hour show.

I found the acting to be authentic and properly reserved. As strangers are rarely forthcoming upon initial introduction, these 9 strangers are the same way. As time passes more is to be learned.

My only initial hard knock on this show is nothing was resolved in Episode 1 and perhaps one story line could wrap up with each installment. The story lines that run now don't have the legs to go past 3 episodes. This is cause for concern. Dragging out a storyline is just as bad as ending it too soon.

I do look forward to next week's episode and the ones to come. Give My Generation a try. I think you'll want to see more.

This Show is Frustrating

[Greeneyesmccoy · 5/10 · 30 September 2010]

"My Generation" is a pseudo documentary about kids from the class of 2000, and interchanges between footage from then and footage from 2010. When I first heard about it I thought it was a genuinely original idea for a show that could focus on the most recent crop of adults to come up into the "real world."

Apparently the real world is a miserable, depressing place. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE is sad and frustrated in this half-rate attempt at genuine social drama. The shows biggest issue is simply that it tries too hard; it seems too obvious that the sins of their use or of their parents is apparent in adulthood.

I have trouble buying into the idea of collective misery in a show examining today's budding adults. It's the kind of show that's very two-dimensional, but will make viewers feel as if they're sophisticated because it "looks gritty" and strives to feel "real." But ultimately it fails whole heartedly. It's not profound, it's not edgy ... it's just an unfortunate mess.

Just simply not that good

[alekzd7 · 4/10 · 24 September 2010]

Let me first say that as an Austinite who grew up there, half the reason I decided to watch the show when I first heard about it was the fact that it's filmed in my hometown. I'm kind of a fan of the city, and so I try to support it whenever I can. That being said, when I give My Generation a 5 out of 10, you know it's just not that great. Or at least that was my opinion about 10 minutes into the pilot episode. For one thing, the stereotypes of the fictional Greenbelt High School alumni were a little forced, in my opinion. Speaking of the Greenbelt, I think they named the high school that because the people who went there had the most wooden personalities I've ever seen. Seriously, it was like watching a bunch of trees act, these people had very little genuine personality and even less acting ability. Nothing against them personally, they just couldn't really hold up the show. Which leads me to my next issue with My Generation: the storyline itself. Yes, I understand, hell everyone understands that there have been a lot of events in the past decade that, for better or for worse, were extremely influential on American youth. There's no argument there. But I was honestly expecting something a little, I don't know, different. Like a unique spin on the events or something. I just remember a bunch of quick flashbacks showing scenes from 9/11 and then the school jock joining the army. That's not to say that 9/11 didn't create a huge surge in people joining the armed forces, quite the contrary, of course. But the guy's character was never really fleshed out. It was just the narrator giving us this expository dialogue about him joining the army, a few battle scenes, him talking with his girlfriend for a few minutes, and that was it. I never really got a sense for his character. And everyone else, again, was just kind of boring and uninteresting. Plus, the whole storyline of then getting back together was kind of shallow. People longing for high school crushes 10 years after the fact. It was all just very two-dimensional to me. And what about Austin?! That was half the reason I watched the show in the first place (I'm currently living out of state, and so I wanted some nice nostalgic views of the city). At least for what I saw, Austin was maybe shown twice, and even then they were generic skyline shots, not anything interesting that captured the personality of the city, or any of the landmarks, or anything. It was simply used as a location. Don't get me wrong, I like that more films and TV shows are getting filmed here, but it was just treated like any other city. I didn't like that. And just one last thing I gotta say. I hope I'm not being overly stereotypical here, and if I am please let me know and I'll delete this sentence right away. But what exactly was the writer thinking when he came up with a character who's Black and from Austin (a fairly Liberal city), who ardently supports George Bush? Is it me or was that way too ironic? At any rate, just not very impressed at all. I might watch a few other episodes to see if it gets better, but it's no longer a priority on my list.

My Generation Is TRULY something for this generation

[JCTreasurer · 9/10 · 29 September 2010]

My Generation is a completely fresh and original idea that does more than deliver a story...It delivers a sad truth. This show is Based on the lives of 9 people who all graduated in 2000 and were picked to film their graduation and talk about what their future goals were. The age old "where do you see yourself in 10 years"? And from there the show delivers the classic stereotypes, one wants to be an actress, one a scientist, another a pro athlete, and yet another wants to be a family man...

Then from there the show fast forwards 10 years and starts showing what all these people are ACTUALLY doing...with not so surprising results...and I think this is where the show TRULY delivers.

I graduated in 2004 but I started high school in 2000 as a Freshman. I remember being asked the same question by so many people "where do you see yourself in X many years". And I always gave the same answer...I wanted to be an actor. Lucky for me, I haven't given up on my dream...I am living in LA trying to act and, although its a major struggle, its completely worth it. But I had so many friends who, when asked that same question, gave equally stunning answers...doctors, lawyers, teachers, musicians...and the sad truth is that I don't keep in touch with any of my friends from high school because none of them went on to do any of those things...

Relating this back to the show...this is what we, as viewers, are presented with; a broken circle of friendships derived from the lack of people following their dreams. We are thrust in to this circle where we sit and watch as awkwardly, by several different turn of events, this group is brought back together and they are forced to face the reality that High school is a safety net...a place where heads are filled with false promises and dreams are exploited.

To the people who are watching this show and rating it such low scores, are you really that out of touch with life? Do you not see that our world is not a happy place? REAL people's stories don't get wrapped up in hour long episodes...REAL events don't always have happy endings...this show is trying something different and I think it should be praised for that. For My own generation...this show is about as real as it gets...however sad that might be.

Interesting idea, but bad on execution

[mattr-3 · 3/10 · 25 September 2010]

Interesting idea, but bad on execution So here is the deal I graduated in 1999 one year before the students on this show. I decided to watch the first episode of this show because I thought it would be interesting to see how they setup people about my age who are 10 years out from high school.

Unfortunately, this show is just bad. Its very slow, its boring, and you learn where everyone is in their life 10 years later (which is the first episode) I can not image why else I would continue watching this show.

I would recommend passing on this show.

Great promise!!!

[Staniel13 · 9/10 · 25 September 2010]

My Generation is a wonderful show with a lot of promise. The "documentary" style of the show was very authentic. The settings as well as the style of filming was very true to documentaries. The actors portray their characters with great realism. None of the emotions seemed forced or fake. Granted the storyline was a little slow but what documentary starts out with a bang... there is always a build up to the main event. I also loved the message that high school is a world of dreams and false hopes and that for most of us ten years out of high school reality has hit and life has taken a completely different route then ever expected. I cannot wait to see what My Generation has in store...

Terrible Show

[EliotNess48170 · 1/10 · 30 September 2010]

This is without a doubt the worst show on the TV schedule right now, despite ABC saying it is the greatest and a trend setter, yeah right!! I was seriously appalled at how bad the acting was and the situations were corny and the writing was pathetic. My suggestion to any potential viewer is to read the reviews and make your own decision. You have to ask yourself when seeing the ABC promo's why are they trying to tell you that this is a great show? Because shows like this cost them nothing!! No name actors, and low production costs and they hope that shows like this pick up a viewer-ship..Whiny girls saying how they hate men based on their limited relationship experience and feeling destroyed when their friends don't do what they say..These shows are truly pathetic and deserve to be canned fast!!!

One Season is Good

[saberjane19 · 9/10 · 28 March 2011]

I actually just finished watching the whole 8 episodes that were supposed to be aired as the first season of this series and, surprisingly, I was satisfied and delighted with how the story ended. After reading bad reviews about My Generation, I initially thought it was going to be just a waste of time. But I guess I was wrong and I'm thankful that I gave the show a chance.

It's a pseudo documentary about the lives of 9 high school students 10 years after their graduation. At first, I find the story lines (for each of the characters) rather depressing. They presented what has become of the main characters after 10 years and how they have unfinished businesses with their past or family issues, etc. It's like they all have problems with themselves and with other people - and that's just basically all there is to resolve. But the good thing is, they actually tackled each and every characters' plot in the succeeding episodes (except for Falcon - I think his character wasn't visible and significant at all). And while they show each and every characters' story, they touched on some constructs (life, freedom, patriotism, love, marriage, parenthood, and basically all the realities of life) which is good.

It was in the 4th or 5th episode, in my own opinion, that it has kind of given the audiences a feel or a hint of what's going to happen towards the end that you get excited for how they're going to show it. And it presented a decent ending - it was open ended (especially for Steven, Jackie, and Caroline). The whole season has 8 episodes and I wouldn't want it any other way. It's a series that's only good for just one season since there's not more plot or conflicts to resolve.

Our Generation Hated This Show

[saahdrahcir · 3/10 · 28 March 2011]

The people behind this show must have tried extremely hard for the general public to hate it, and, consequently, to earn it's rightful spot on the canceled television show list of 2010. It was truly depressing— not the fact that it was canceled, but the show itself.

I get the whole concept, and it was a great idea… it was just executed very poorly. One of the major problems I had with the show was with the character Kenneth Finely, played by Keir O'Donnell. Kenneth was the geek of the graduating class. He had a girlfriend, too. However, after graduation, she broke up with him and started dating a jock named Rolly Marks (played by Mehcad Brooks who had a better role in "True Blood") that enlisted in the army and is now in Afghanistan or some Middle East country. Kenneth's ex-girlfriend has nowhere to live, so she moves in with him. While she's there, he must listen to her play lovey-dovey with her jock boyfriend and catch an awkward glimpse of her flashing Rolly via webcam. To make him feel more optimistic about his life, he goes down to the Sperm Bank to donate… where he finds he cannot have children. A geek is undeserving of this! You lost a million viewers just because of this arc in the story. Nobody except the popular kids in high school would find this entertaining (and by the way, ordinary kids beat out popular kids in demographics).

I connected with Kenneth, and felt extremely sorry for him. Forget Romeo, Hamlet, or Oedipus Rex— Kenneth Finely is the most tragic character in human history. After watching the first two episodes, I said, "Forget this." And, apparently, so did the network. It was canceled, rightly so. This show was hyped to the max, and it actually looked really good. Suffice to say, it was disappointing and depressing. Perhaps the show could have been better in the later episodes, but the bombardment of bad news overwhelmed the story and the show ultimately self-destructed… An utter waste of talent, programming, and film.

Stilted Acting; Unrelateable Characters

[josephdanielson · 2/10 · 30 September 2010]

I watched the entire pilot. To say this show is horrible is putting it lightly. I am a member of the class of 2001, and the show's portrayal of my cohort has little basis in reality.

For one thing, the effects of certain historical events are largely overstated. Aside from the War on Terror, I cannot say that myself, or my similarly situated friends and colleagues, were as personally and intimately affected by the mentioned historical events as the show's characters happened to be. For instance, placing such an emphasis on the Enron scandal in relation to teens and twenty-somethings is like highlighting Bernie Madoff's ponzi schemes and somehow tying that in to an eighteen year old's choice of where to attend college or which used car to purchase. Both Enron and Bernie Madoff affected a lot of people in a very bad way--but very few Millenials can call themselves major victims- -and neither scandal has had as large of a causal impact on Generation Y as "My Generation" tries to lead the viewer to believe.

Most annoying is the mockumentary's narrator. The narrator's voice is not conducive to narration. Furthermore, she abrasively questions the characters with little pathos or sympathy. Unlike Oprah or Barbara Walters, who are pros at asking tough questions with dignity, the narrator conducts her "documentary" more like a police interrogation than like a professional journalist.

The characters themselves have little substance and behave in self- righteous and unbelievable ways, too. Two of the twenty-somethings are living "the good life," attending wine classes and purchasing fine meats. The couple are filmed trying to pair said wines and meats whilst attempting to entertain the "documentary's" camera crew with their pseudo witticisms that come off as stilted and scripted. No regular twenty-eight year old I know would act in such a ridiculous and precocious manner as these two.

Another character, "The Brain," was a life science major turned congressional lawyer as a result of the Bush/Gore election debacle (a slightly tenuous premise). This character is probably the most pretentious. Her phrasing, as well as her facial expressions, are often over exaggerated. And she is predictably high strung all the time.

The other iconic character is "The Nerd," a socially awkward specimen who wants nothing more than to start a family. When he's not at home babysitting his pregnant ex-girlfriend (he is not the father), he is busy creepily teaching elementary students American History and making visits to sperm banks. In a plot twist NO ONE sees coming, The Nerd discovers he is infertile.

Overall, the mediocre acting and lousy attempts at tying non-Generation Y relevant events to Generation Y individuals makes for a bad, bad, pilot. Don't waste your time.