Image Description: Main character, Andi Mack, displayed in the center of the photo, and she shows to have an excited smile. Behind are fun decorations displayed in a room. In the top right corner, there is the title of the show, ‘Andi Mack’ in blue letters.
Many of us remember fondly the “Golden Age of Disney Channel”, with ‘That’s So Raven’, ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’, ‘Kim Possible’, and many other favorites, and many people claim that the only stuff that is on Disney Channel now is just garbage. I’m not completely disagreeing (did ‘Bunk’d’ and ‘Stuck In The Middle’ seriously need another season each?). But in my opinion, there is one show that shouldn’t be overlooked: ‘Andi Mack.’ ‘Andi Mack’ is a show revolving around the titular main character and her friends Jonah, Cyrus and Buffy (no, not the vampire slayer) and who appears to be her sister, Bex.
This show is full of diversity in many ways. Right from the start, the show has an incredibly diverse cast of characters. Cyrus is Jewish and even has an episode displaying his bar mitzvah. Three of the main characters—Cece, who appears to be Andi’s mom, Bex, and Andi—are portrayed by Asian-American women. In fact, ‘Andi Mack; is the first ever Disney Channel show to center around an Asian-American family, even showcasing an authentic Chinese New Year celebration in one episode. The character Buffy is portrayed by a biracial actress. She shows the struggles of non-traditional, curly hair when in one episode, she has to straighten her hair after a classmate complains about not being able to see the board because her hair is “too big.” She is also a military child with her mother serving in the military. The show displays Buffy missing her mother and wanting to be strong for her, getting reunited with her mother, and currently, in this storyline, she and her friends are facing the possibility of her moving across the country. This show portrays many different looks, ethnicities, and cultures with the hope that it will be as diverse as its audience.
This show also explores teen pregnancy and complex families. On her 13th birthday, Andi finds out that Bex is really her mother, seeing a picture of a teenage Bex in a hospital bed with baby Andi. The show portrays Andi discovering the identity of her father, the story of the fight that led to Bex giving guardianship of Andi to Cece, Andi moving in with Bex, arguments between Bex and Cece about what is best for Andi, and many other situations that children in complex families may face.
At the beginning of season two (in the episode titled “Hey, Who Wants Pizza?” after Bex’s go-to phrase when she’s uncomfortable) Cyrus reveals that he has a crush on Jonah, both of whom are male. Cyrus has become Disney Channel’s first (and so far, only) openly gay character, much to the LGBTQ+ community’s elation. The scene where Cyrus comes out to his friend Buffy is perfectly executed. He admits he has a crush on Jonah and says he feels different, and Buffy replies by saying that he’s no different and that she’ll support him. Later in the episode, Cyrus expresses to Buffy that he wishes he could talk to Andi about it but doesn’t want to tell her, as she has a crush on Jonah as well. Buffy says he should just tell her, but Cyrus tells her that the best way she can help him is by being patient and non-judgmental, an important message for the allies of those in the LGBTQ+ community. Buffy agrees to try to help him in any way possible. Then in the mid-season finale titled “Cyrus’ Bash-Mitzvah,” Cyrus decides to finally come out to Andi, who of course responds with love and acceptance for her best friend. These moments were absolutely beautiful, providing not only a character to relate to but the assurance that their friends will always support and accept them for any LGBTQ+ teens watching the show.
That wasn’t the only important event to happen that night. Later in the episode, Jonah is having a hard time breathing and balancing and is very scared and anxious. One of his friends finds him like this and goes to find someone to help him. We then see Cyrus’s step-father, who happens to be a therapist, helping Jonah. He explains that Jonah experienced a panic attack and that while very scary, it’s not life-threatening and to remember that if he has another panic attack. Jonah becomes terrified at the prospect that he could have another one and asks that Cyrus’s step-father doesn’t tell Cyrus, Buffy, or Andi. He reassures Jonah that “your friends aren’t going to think any differently about you,” but when Jonah shares his fear that they will, he promises not to tell them but not before reminding Jonah that “they care about you. They can help you if you let them.” Jonah once again declines to tell his friends and decides to go home
We see him once again in the episode titled “Perfect Day” when Jonah, clearly having another panic attack, runs into a music store that is coincidentally run by Andi’s father, Bowie. He doesn’t realize right away that Jonah is having a panic attack but realizes something is wrong, so Jonah lies and said he was just out of breath because he ran there. He tells Bowie that he wants to buy a guitar to learn how to play. Bowie grabs a guitar for him and shows him three chords, and Jonah realizes after playing for a bit that his hands have stopped shaking and that his breathing has slowed. Later in the episode, Bowie asks Jonah what’s really going on. Jonah admits that he was having a panic attack. Jonah asks him not to tell Andi, and Bowie says that although he knows Andi would understand, he won’t tell her. He points out that playing guitar seems to have helped him calm down and offers Jonah lessons, which he accepts. The show does a beautiful job of portraying panic attacks, the importance of getting help, and positive coping methods without sounding too preachy.
What I feel makes plotline even more interesting is the character featured in it. Jonah is seen as a popular, confident character, idolized by Andi and Cyrus all of season one. I think it’s absolutely wonderful that the creators show that mental illness can happen to anyone. This gives kids who also have anxiety or get panic attacks someone to relate to, someone who can be some sort of a role model for them. It’s absolutely wonderful that Disney is helping reduce the stigma around mental illness. By the looks of the promo for the next episode, “A Walker To Remember,” it’s going to elaborate on this plotline further!
Another wonderful plotline is that of a character named TJ. In the first episode he is introduced in, he doesn’t leave a great impression. He first appears in the season 2 episode “Friends Like These” where he is the captain of the boys’ basketball team. Buffy decided to try out as the school they go to doesn’t have a girls’ basketball team. TJ is not fond of this and he does everything in his power to keep Buffy from getting on the team, including calling her “little girl” and saying “go back to your playground,” pushing her to the floor, refusing to help her up, and refusing to admit he committed a foul. Later in the episode, Buffy gets in, and when TJ hears this he says to another character “don’t worry, she won’t last long” and reveals his intentions to not let her play. In a later episode, he refuses to pass the ball to Buffy no matter what. He’s basically a huge jerk.
But later in the season, it is revealed that he is failing algebra and his math teacher asks Buffy to tutor him. Both refuse to work with each other, but TJ is then threatened with getting kicked off of the team, so he begs Buffy to tutor him. Buffy agrees only on the condition that he passes the basketball to her during games (a promise which he later breaks). During their tutoring sessions, TJ shows up late, saying he forgot the room number and the time they were supposed to meet, but Buffy doesn’t believe him and tells him to stop making excuses. Buffy continues to try to help him, but he gets frustrated because he can’t get any problems right and even struggles to fill in the multiplication tables. He eventually gives up exclaiming that he’s stupid and storms out. Buffy later talks to TJ about the possibility of him having a learning disability after doing some research. She explains that he can learn math but his brain is just wired differently than most people. She suggests having him get tested, but he is repulsed by this idea. He tells her not to tell anyone that he has a learning disability and that he’d rather just have people believe that he’s stupid (internalized ableism much?). The episode after, he agrees to get tested but asks Buffy to do his homework so he can play in that week’s game. Of course Buffy refuses, but later in the episode, he admits that he just wants to be able to play in one more game before he gets diagnosed and people find out he’s disabled and looks at him differently and feels sorry for him. Then, in the season 2 mid-season finale, he asks a fortune teller, who was correct for everyone so far that night, whether or not he has a learning disability and she says yes.
Not gonna lie, I may or may not have freaked out when I first saw the scene where it was revealed that he may have a learning disability. I was absolutely ecstatic when I saw that they were going down this path. There are so few shows meant for kids and teens with a character with a disability, and if there is, the character is usually only there for one or two episodes or they get “cured.” It’s amazing to be able to see a character going through some of the same struggles as I do, especially with internalized ableism. The next episode will also include some development on this storyline as well!
Overall, I think it’s safe to say that ‘Andi Mack’ understands that its audience is diverse, and it tries to cater to that audience in as many ways possible. I love this show, but, as a disabled person, I’m extra enthusiastic about the Jonah/panic attacks plotline and the TJ/learning disability plotline. Starting with this week’s episode, I’ll be writing overviews/reviews on every Andi Mack episode that involves one of these two plotlines (or another disability-related plotline?!). Stay tuned and let us know what you think!
