Social Studies (2024 TV series)

Last updated

Social Studies
Social Studies (2024 TV series).jpg
Genre Documentary
Created by Lauren Greenfield
Directed by Lauren Greenfield
Music by Volker Bertelmann
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes5
Production
Executive producers
Producer Frank Evers
Cinematography
Editors
  • Alyse Ardell Spiegel
  • Catherine Bull
  • Helen Kearns
  • Charles Little II
  • Lauren Saffa
  • Alex MacKenzie
  • Wes Lipman
Running time56-66 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network FX
ReleaseSeptember 27 (2024-09-27) –
October 18, 2024 (2024-10-18)

Social Studies is an American documentary series created, directed, and produced by Lauren Greenfield. It follows teenagers over the course of a school year in Los Angeles, exploring how the generation has grown up online.

Contents

It premiered at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2024, [1] and premiered on September 27, 2024, on FX. [2] [3]

Premise

Over the course of a school year, the series explores Generation Z students in Los Angeles who deal with bullying, racism, beauty standards, and sexuality, specifically through the use of social media. [4] [5]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byOriginal release date  [6] U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Social Studies" Lauren Greenfield September 27, 2024 (2024-09-27)N/A
2"Social Divisions"Lauren GreenfieldSeptember 27, 2024 (2024-09-27)N/A
3"Peer/Algorithm Pressure"Lauren GreenfieldOctober 4, 2024 (2024-10-04)0.086 [7]
4"Sex Ed"Lauren GreenfieldOctober 11, 2024 (2024-10-11)N/A
5"Deletions and Culminations"Lauren GreenfieldOctober 18, 2024 (2024-10-18)N/A

Production

Development

Greenfield started developing the series during the COVID-19 pandemic when she noticed her teenage son having difficulties communicating with other kids in person. [4]

Filming

Production on the series took place beginning in August 2021, at various high schools throughout Los Angeles including Archer School for Girls, Venice Skills Center, Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles High School, Hamilton High School, with 1,200 hours of footage over 150 days, including screen recordings of students phones. [8] [9] [4] Greenfield was interested in seeing the impact of social media as schools re-opened after the COVID-19 pandemic. [10]

Reception

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 100% of 9 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 9/10. [11] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 based on 6 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [12]

Aramide Tinubu of Variety wrote: "Engrossing and troubling, the docuseries presents a time capsule of today while allowing the teens to speak for themselves." [13] Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times praised the series writing: "The result is an instant time capsule that might leave you shaken at times, while other moments are truly inspirational and moving. On balance, though, what we witness is often more troubling and alarming than hopeful." [14] Joel Keller of Decider suggested viewing the series writing: "The sheer volume of what Greenfield shows teens being up to will scare any parent more than any blood-and-guts show Ryan Murphy can come up with." [15]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
2025
 40th Independent Spirit Awards Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series Lauren Greenfield, Wallis Annenberg, Regina K. Scully, Andrea van Beuren, Frank Evers, and Caryn CapotostoNominated [16]

References

  1. ↑ Davis, Clayton (August 29, 2024). "Telluride Festival Lineup Includes Nickel Boys, The Piano Lesson and Saturday Night With Tributes for Jacques Audiard and Saoirse Ronan". Variety. Archived from the original on August 29, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  2. ↑ Anderson, Justin (July 10, 2024). "TCA news: FX sets "Social Studies," latest 'New York Times Presents' doc for fall". Real Screen. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  3. ↑ "FX Sets Premiere Dates for New and Returning Series". The Futon Critic . July 10, 2024. Archived from the original on September 4, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 Fry, Naomi (November 9, 2024). "Into the Phones of Teens". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on November 14, 2024. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Social Studies". FX . Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Social Studies". The Futon Critic . Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  7. ↑ Pucci, Douglas (October 7, 2024). "Friday Ratings: Fox and ABC Share Broadcast Prime Time Victory". Programming Insider. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  8. ↑ Villarreal, Yvonne (August 30, 2024). "If you're a parent, Lauren Greenfield's new doc about teens and social media 'is a horror movie'". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  9. ↑ LaPorte, Nicole (September 27, 2024). "How Dangerous is Social Media to Teens? A New Documentary Asks Some L.A. Kids to Explain". Town & Country . Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Social Studies". Institute Artist. Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Social Studies". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Social Studies: Season 1". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  13. ↑ Tinubu, Aramide (September 27, 2024). "FX's 'Social Studies' Is a Devastating Exploration of Teenhood in the Age of Social Media: TV Review". Variety . Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  14. ↑ Roeper, Richard (September 27, 2024). "'Social Studies': Teens open up their phones for doc that's often alarming". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  15. ↑ Keller, Joel (September 27, 2024). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Social Studies' On FX, A Docuseries About How L.A.-Area High Schoolers Use And Deal With Social Media In A Post-Pandemic World". Decider. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  16. ↑ Lewis, Hilary (December 4, 2024). "Spirit Awards: 'Anora,' 'I Saw the TV Glow' Top Nominations With Six Each". Hollywood Reporter .
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