We just finished watching the episode in season 2 where the girl Oona and the Asian boy, Sean, were sent home over the white boy who was a poor leader during a group challenge and messed up his fish dish. My 9 year old daughter cried, saying it was not fair that Sean went home. "He did nothing wrong and cooked the steak perfectly. It's just not fair." All I could say to my Asian-American daughter was that she was right and sometimes the world is just not fair. I decided not to explain the racial and gender inequities revealed in that episode, but it was so glaring to me that I googled it. Turns out we are not the only ones that felt that way. You know it is bad when a 9 year old cries over how bad it is. So, if you are looking for a show to teach your kids how to deal with gender inequalities, racial bias, bullying, sexual harassment, and entitlement, then this is the show for you. On the flipside, there are also some really fantastic, heartfelt moments in the show that exemplified selflessness, tenacity, empathy, and overcoming adversity. In some ways, it really shows the good and the bad of how the real world works. We will keep watching it with our daughter and this is just a word of caution for parents.
Review of MasterChef Junior
MasterChef Junior
(I) (2013– )
Taught my 9 year old that the world is not always fair
19 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers