Tyler Perry's Young Dylan TV Review | Common Sense Media

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Parents' Guide to

Tyler Perry's Young Dylan TV Nickelodeon Comedy 2020 Tyler Perry's Young Dylan Poster Image
  • Common Sense Says
  • Parents Say 22 Reviews
  • Kids Say 40 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Melissa Camacho By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 9+

Fun series celebrates extended family; very mild sexy stuff.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Tyler Perry's Young Dylan is a positive, family-themed comedy series aimed towards tweens. Reminiscent of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the central character is a young…

 Why Age 9+? Sex, Romance & Nudity

Very mild innuendo is present but will easily fly over kids’ heads. A conversati

 Violence & Scariness

Violence is treated as unacceptable. A child is upset over the death of his dog.

 Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Mild references to drinking (like being “on the sauce”) will go over the heads o

 Language Not present Products & Purchases Not present

Occasionally, celebrities like DJ Khaled make appearances.

 Any Positive Content? Positive Messages

The importance of family, especially extended family, is central to the show. Th

 Positive Role Models

The Wilsons are privileged and out of touch with urban culture, but they want no

  • Parents Need to Know

    Parents need to know that Tyler Perry's Young Dylan is a positive, family-themed comedy series aimed towards tweens. Reminiscent of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the central character is a young aspiring hip-hop artist who's sent to live with his wealthy extended family in the affluent suburbs of Chicago after being abandoned by his mother. Cultures clash, and humor and hijinks ensue. There's no bad language to worry about here, but Dylan's edgier background leads to some innuendo that is innocent and misinformed. More serious themes, like child abandonment and class distinctions, are dealt with in more gentle ways, much of which will fly over the heads of younger viewers.

  • Sex, Romance & Nudity

    a little

    Very mild innuendo is present but will easily fly over kids’ heads. A conversation about having babies is had, but it is filled with humorous misinformation, ranging from the stork delivery to French kissing.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Violence & Scariness

    very little

    Violence is treated as unacceptable. A child is upset over the death of his dog. There’s some tension between the adults, but this is presented in humorous ways.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

    very little

    Mild references to drinking (like being “on the sauce”) will go over the heads of younger viewers.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Products & Purchases

    none

    Occasionally, celebrities like DJ Khaled make appearances.

  • Positive Messages

    some

    The importance of family, especially extended family, is central to the show. Themes like child abandonment, class differences, and hip-hop are also prevalent.

  • Positive Role Models

    very little

    The Wilsons are privileged and out of touch with urban culture, but they want nothing but the best for Dylan and their other children. Dylan is young and confident, but ultimately he's still a young boy hoping his mother will return.

Where to Watch

  • Tyler Perry's Young Dylan TV Show: Dylan showing off his swag
  • Tyler Perry's Young Dylan TV Show: Rebecca and Charlie
  • Tyler Perry's Young Dylan TV Show: Dylan schools Charlie

Tyler Perry's Young Dylan

Parent and Kid Reviews

See all
  • Parents Say (22)
  • Kids Say (40)
age 11+

Based on 22 parent reviews

See all 22 parent reviews age 10+

Based on 40 kid reviews

Kids say the show is plagued by poor acting, excessive use of laugh tracks, and a slew of negative stereotypes, often portraying the main character as disrespectful and obnoxious. Many reviewers expressed concern that it fails to provide positive role models, with content that is deemed inappropriate for its target young audience, resulting in widespread disappointment.

  • poor acting
  • negative stereotypes
  • inappropriate content
  • excessive laugh tracks
  • disrespectful characters
Summarized with AI
See all 40 kid reviews

What's the Story?

TYLER PERRY'S YOUNG DYLAN is a comedy series about a young street-wise boy from Chicago who goes to live with his relatives in the suburbs. Dylan (Dylan Gilmer) is an 10-year-old aspiring hip-hop artist living with his Grandmother Viola (Aloma Wright) in a retirement home after his hippie mother abandoned him. Knowing that it's not the right place for him to grow up, Viola asks her more privileged, suburban-dwelling son Myles Wilson (Carl Anthony Payne II) and daughter-in-law Yasmine (Mieko Hillman) to take in their nephew and give him a stable home environment. Dylan will also have his cousins Rebecca (Celina Smith) and Charlie (Hero Hunter) to play with. The Wilsons are happy to make him part of their family, but Dylan's style creates some culture clashes that turns his new family's way of life upside down.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review: Parents say (22 ): Kids say (40 ):

This lighthearted series, which is reminiscent of the ‘90s hit The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, offers a traditional "fish out of water" narrative. Dylan Gilmar (a.k.a. Young Dylan), a young rapper known for his appearances on America's Got Talent and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, steals scenes easily, and he's offered opportunities throughout the narrative to showcase his singing talents. Celebs like DJ Khaled add to the fun. But the importance of extended family, which is a trademark of Tyler Perry's work, is a central theme throughout the show. It also addresses more serious issues, like child abandonment and socioeconomic class differences with gentle humor. Some parents may find Tyler Perry's Young Dylan a bit much for the younger set, but hip-hop loving tweens will enjoy it.

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Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the way Tyler Perry's Young Dylan represents family. Does everyone in the family get along? Despite their differences, how do they show how important they are to one another?

  • Is it fair to expect Dylan to adjust to everything his new family does or believes in? What kinds of things can the Wilson family learn from him?

  • What is Dylan Gilmer's real life story? How was he discovered? How does the show's character reflect the real Dylan?

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TV Details

  • Premiere date : February 29, 2020
  • Cast : Dylan Gilmer , Aloma Wright , Carl Anthony Payne II , Mieko Hillman
  • Network : Nickelodeon
  • Genre : Comedy
  • Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings )
  • Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion
  • TV rating : TV-G
  • Last updated : October 9, 2025
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Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Tyler Perry's Young Dylan

Suggest an Update

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Related Topics

  • Communication
  • Compassion
  • Siblings
  • Family Stories

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