Netflix’s highly anticipated return of Raising Dion kicks off its second season on February 1, 2022. This sci-fi drama touts itself as being geared toward families, but what ages is it best suited for? I’m breaking down all of the thematic elements, including its TV-PG rating, in my Raising Dion Season 2 Parents Guide and Review. Here’s what parents need to know to help YOU decide if it’s appropriate for your family. As always, no spoilers!
Raising Dion Season 2 Parents Guide + Review
It’s finally time! Raising Dion season 2 kicks off two years after Dion (Ja’Siah Young) defeats the Crooked Man (Jason Ritter), and I’m here to tell you it was worth the wait!! There is so much packed into this season, and it’s such a great watch, that you’ll find yourself easily binging this engaging series in no time!
I found this season to be much more emotional than the last. Alisha Wainwright, who plays Dion’s mother Nicole, does a phenomenal job in her role. She is the true definition of “mama bear.” Being a mom of two boys, I could feel those heavy emotions she portrayed. Any parent will be able to relate to her character.
Dion is now 10 years old, and learning to control his powers with the help of his new mentor, Tevin (Rome Flynn). Although Dion has superhero-like abilities, he’s still just a kid. He and his friends, Esperanza (Sammi Haney) and Jonathan (Gavin Munn) formed an elite club called the TOJ — “Triangle of Justice”. They all have superhero type names, and it’s so nice to see they still have that type of innocence about them even though they’ve been through so much.
What happened to the Crooked Man?
Everyone was wondering if Pat (Jason Ritter) would be returning this season. When we left off in season one, Dion defeated Pat as the Crooked Man. Pat was taken by the crooked energy which caused him to do horrible things. Now that the crooked energy is gone, is Pat a better person? And more importantly, can he be trusted and forgiven for all that he’s done?
When the crooked energy left Pat at the end of season one, we see it consume a new person. This time a child. Brayden (Griffin Robert Falkner) is a new character, and boy does he play his part well. Somehow with the crooked energy being inside of a child, it makes it all the more creepy.
Raising Dion Brings Light to Mental Health Awareness
There’s a new character in Raising Dion, and you’re going to love him. Tevin is Dion’s new mentor and trainer at BIONA. What I love most about his character, is that he’s such a strong man, yet he has an anxiety disorder. What makes this even more admirable, is he owns it. He is not afraid to share those hard feelings.
I cannot even begin to stress how huge this is. Usually whenever mental illness is portrayed on the screen, it’s often a female character. Here you have a man who is incredibly strong, yet he still has those demons inside of him. This is incredibly powerful and important to break the stigma towards mental health. These are the things our children need to see. It’s okay to not be okay.
Unintentional ties to the Pandemic in Raising Dion Season 2
Throughout this season, I couldn’t help but notice so many resemblances to the current events in our own world. A major theme in Raising Dion season 2 focuses on an “outbreak that could end us all.” There’s mention of “slowing the spread,” and they’re in a rush against time to develop an antidote. Sounds familiar, right?
In my interview with Jason Ritter, I mentioned these similarities and asked him if it was intentional. Ironically enough, it was not! In fact, he told me the script was written before the pandemic even happened. The timing and relevancy of this theme was a complete coincidence!
Is Raising Dion Season 2 Kid-Friendly? Here’s Your Parents Guide:
Raising Dion defines its series as a family sci-fi drama. However, science fiction has the potential to be scary for the younger audience members. Is Raising Dion safe for kids? Here’s what parents need to know before watching Raising Dion season 2 with their children.
Raising Dion has a TV-PG rating for language. There are 8 episodes in season 2, and they range between 40-45 minutes. With that being said, let’s break down the thematic elements and take a closer look.
Language
For a PG rating there were a few choice words that I wish were not used. You can expect to hear “H E double hockey sticks, @ss, D@mn, and even b@st@rd.” Yikes. I also noticed some of the background music had inappropriate lyrics for younger viewers.
Violence
I was surprised that violence wasn’t listed in the MPAA rating. There is definitely a fair amount of violence. You’ll see monster looking creatures trying to attack people, as well as other fight scenes. There’s nothing overly graphic, and it’s mostly supernatural type of stuff.
Mature Content
There are a few scenes where drinking alcohol is involved. There is also mention of death and murder. Dion’s father (Michael B. Jordan) passed away prior to season one, so that is a recurring theme. I mentioned that Tevin has an anxiety disorder, so we do see him experiencing anxious moments.
Age Recommendation
I watched Raising Dion season 2 with my two children, ages 8 and 12. My oldest son watched the first season with my two years ago, however, my youngest jumped right into this season. He recently watched all of the Marvel movies and loved them so much, that I had a feeling he’d enjoy this as well. I was right, as it was a huge hit for all of us. With that being said, I would recommend Raising Dion for ages 8 and up. My only real issue is with the language.
Overall Thoughts
Raising Dion season 2 is a wild ride. Action packed and filled with unexpected twists and turns, it was certainly worth the two year wait. But it’s the heartfelt moments that win it for me, as well as the many great messages this series represents. All I can say is, we need a third season! Also? You won’t want to miss the end credit scene after the 8th episode. Raising Dion season 2 hits Netflix February 1st. Let’s go!!
RAISING DION SEASON 2 SYNOPSIS
Raising Dion follows the story of Nicole (Alisha Wainwright) and her son Dion (Ja’Siah Young) after Dion starts to manifest several mysterious, superhero-like abilities. Two years after defeating the Crooked Man (Jason Ritter), Season Two follows Dion as he continues honing his powers with the support of his mom and Tevin (Rome Flynn), his Biona trainer who catches Nicole’s eye. After befriending new student Brayden (Griffin Robert Faulkner) – a fellow powered kid – a series of alarming events unfold, and Dion learns that danger is still looming. Navigating twists, turns, and surprise visitors, Dion and Nicole must prevail again — not just to save themselves, but the entire city of Atlanta.
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