【Peggy Markoff】

Raising Dion,Peggy Markoffthe new family-oriented superhero show from Netflix based on the comic book series of the same name by Dennis Liu, is a compelling conceit. When 8-year-old Dion discovers he has superpowers, his life — and that of his mom, Nicole (Alisha Wainwright) — is turned upside down.

Nicole is busy juggling a full-time job, getting Dion to and from school, and mourning the loss of her husband, Dion's father, who's played by Michael B. Jordan in flashbacks (or, as a ghost) during each episode. Dion's life has transformed as he and his mother have downsized into a small apartment, and he's had to transfer to a new, predominantly white elementary school. Then he moves a handful of objects using only his mind, and Nicole realizes she's in over her head.

So, she enlists the help of a chosen family that includes Dion's godfather, Pat (Jason Ritter), Nicole's sister, Kat (Jazmyn Simon), and a handful of other selfless friends and neighbors.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Raising Dion reads like a traditional superhero origin story, but without all the trauma that plagued the likes of Batman or Spider-Man. While in Iceland viewing the Northern lights, Mark was affected by a radioactive meteor shower that endowed him with superpowers — invisibility, teleportation, and telekinesis — that were passed down to Dion hereditarily. The show sees its protagonist harness his supernatural abilities with the help of Nicole, Pat, and Dion's gem of a best friend, Esperanza (Sammi Haney), who is a wheelchair user.

The general air of lightness that surrounds Dion's story results in its "family-friendly" categorization on Netflix, and allows its storyline to focus on the real-life issues that take place in the show's supernatural world. For instance, thanks to a bright idea from Pat, Dion uses Mark's favorite watch to determine when he can use his powers. When Dion is wearing the watch, he can keep them under wraps. When he takes off the watch, he experiments with all that he can do. In this way, Dion leans on the memory of his father to bolster his strength.

Narratively, making a young boy the superhero in Raising Dion is a dexterous choice on the part of the show's creators, Carol Barbee and Liu. Because Dion isn't self-sufficient, the many authority figures in his life must be present to facilitate his journey. With so many supporting roles to fill, Michael B. Jordan's production company Outlier Society, which is also behind Raising Dion, strongly influenced casting. The company's inclusion rider "requires studios to hire a diverse crew and/or cast on particular projects," as evidenced in the show.

Mashable Top Stories Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news. Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Barbee and Liu took the show's spirit of inclusivity one step further by building Raising Dion's narrative using rich, representative storylines. First and foremost, Nicole constantly exhibits the superheroism that is single motherhood. Kat, Dion's aunt, is in a relationship with a fellow doctor at the hospital at which both women work. Both of those storylines remain mostly unspoken through the series. Esperanza's storyline, on the other hand, which inevitably includes her daily life as a wheelchair user, is frequently utilized as a teaching moment.

Haney's Ezperanza is one of the best parts of the entire show. She's quick-witted, loving, and wise beyond her years; Haney's dialogue is some of the strongest in Raising Dion. She frequently pokes fun at the fact that she's an "invisible person," a moniker she's adopted due to the fact that her classmates at school pay less attention to her because she uses a wheelchair. When Dion uses his powers to lift her from her wheelchair and help her walk, Esperanza asks why Dion would disregard her personal boundaries and "lift" her out of her chair. Once Dion realizes his wrongdoing, he apologizes for "trying to fix [Esperanza] when [she's not] broken."

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Haney is surrounded by a similarly talented cast. Ja’Siah Young portrays Dion with a vulnerability and strength that makes him both a believable kid and burgeoning strong young man. Jason Ritter's Pat has a signature kindness reminiscent of his portrayal of Mark on Parenthood. And to no one's surprise, Jordan is fantastic, and his performance makes you mourn the loss of Mark just as much as Nicole does.

But, is Raising Dion a kids' show?

Raising Dion is a show kids can watch, but anyone watching with them should be prepared to have some tough conversations after many of the episodes. In particular, during its fifth episode, Dion accidentally uses his powers to injure a white classmate of his. When Dion and the classmate are interrogated by their school's principal, who is also white, he racially profiles Dion and attempts to suspend him immediately.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Luckily, Dion's science teacher intervenes, but Dion ends up fearing the principal after Nicole explains to her son that some people will look down on him because of the color of his skin. Reminiscent of Anthony Anderson's monologue from Black-ish, Nicole decides that Dion "needs to know" about racism.

Though the show's narrative is driven by Dion's superhero abilities, the title Raising Dion points to its ultimate focus on his mother, Nicole. The audience sees her struggle to keep a job while raising a child on her own, explore prospects of love after losing her husband, pursue her own passions amidst the chaos that is her life, and pour herself a couple of glasses of wine after many long days.

Is it a kids' show? It's far more accurate to call Raising Diona multi-faceted, multi-generational drama in which the audience can see parts of themselves in the show's representative storylines and diverse cast of characters ... none of whom happen to utter any swear words.

The first season of Raising Dion is now available to stream on Netflix.

---

Featured Video For You

---

Netflix renews 'Strangers Things' for Season 4

---

Topics Comics