Series premiere: Raising Dion
I have a pretty high tolerance for suspending disbelief in various superhero shows. I don’t expect high quality writing, acting, etc. Sometimes I get that there isn’t even a plot other than villain of the week. Okay, they’re not all home runs. When I read about the new Netflix show called Raising Dion, about a mother with a son who develops powers, I thought it was worth a shot. Man, was I wrong.
Short version is that a family of three has a father who is a storm chaser, and who died chasing one. The details aren’t entirely clear about what happened, other than he drowned. He left behind a kid and mother/wife. The kid still hopes Dad will come back, Mom knows he’s gone, even if they never found the body. The son is trying to learn magic, and starts displaying telekinetic powers. But after he does some basic stuff, cyclones seem to come with it. He has trouble turning off the power. And, overall, Mom is struggling to deal. Then the ghost of Dad appears…whatever.
Here’s the problem. The kid is TERRIBLE. He’s played by Ja’Siah Young, and I’m sure he’ll improve, or okay in short bursts, but he’s in most scenes and he’s unwatchable. His mother, Alisha Wainwright, was okay on Shadowhunters, and basically okay here, but the show isn’t about her. Or the kid’s godfather, played by Jason Ritter.
I finished the first episode, and I was lucky to get that far. Meh.
