Andi Mack is a live-action single-cam comedy-drama series that premiered on Disney Channel on April 7, 2017. It stars Peyton Elizabeth Lee as the titular character, as well as Sofia Wylie as Buffy Driscoll, Joshua Rush as Cyrus Goodman, and Asher Angel as Jonah Beck. The show follows Andi, her family, and her friends, navigating their personal relationships, both at home and in middle school.
The show was developed by Terri Minsky, creator of the famous Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire.
The show featured Disney Channel's first openly gay character in Cyrus, which drew attention to the highly praised show, and in some cases, controversy. The show ended on July 26, 2019. Throughout its run, it was the highest-rated television show among the demographic between the ages of six years and fourteen years old.
Synopsis[]
Bex has a secret to tell, which will change everything for young teenager Andi.
Cast[]
Main[]
- Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Andi Mack
- Joshua Rush as Cyrus Goodman
- Sofia Wylie as Buffy Driscoll
- Asher Angel as Jonah Beck
- Lilan Bowden as Rebecca "Bex" Mack
- Lauren Tom as Celia Mack
- Trent Garrett as Bowie Quinn (recurring, seasons 1–2; main, season 3)
Recurring[]
- Stoney Westmoreland as Henry "Ham" Mack
- Emily Skinner as Amber
- Chelsea T. Zhang as Brittany (seasons 1–2)
- Garren Stitt as Marty
- Luke Mullen as TJ Kippen
- Chloe Hurst as Miranda (seasons 2–3)
- Darius Marcell as Walker (seasons 2–3)
- Raquel Justice as Kira (season 3)
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Andi Mack’s Surprise Disney Channel
Andy Mack - Birthday Surprise - Promo 2
Social Issues[]
Andi Mack stands out among Disney Channel shows for its courage to address relevant social issues that many families face in today's society. These include:
- Teen Pregnancy - The title character, Andi Mack was born as a result of teenage pregnancy. Andi grew up thinking that her teen mom, Bex, was her older sister.
- LGBTQ - One of the main characters, Cyrus Goodman has been coming to terms that he is gay and has already come out to Andi, Buffy and Jonah. The character TJ Kippen is also confirmed to be gay.
- Gun Safety - In a bold move, the show tackles gun safety and responsibility when Cyrus discovers that TJ's friends are carrying a gun for sport shooting, which could be fatally dangerous.
- Diversity - The lead character is an Asian-American girl. Her best friends (and also the main characters) are an African-American girl (Buffy) and a Jewish gay boy (Cyrus).
- Family Conflicts - Andi's mother (Bex) and grandmother (CeCe) have not been in good terms for a long time. Cyrus' parents are divorced. Amber's parents are constantly fighting.
- Feminism - Buffy is a strong feminist who doesn't let gender differences stop her from achieving what she wants. She even joins the boys' basketball team.
- Racial Issues - Through Buffy, the show addresses a common racial discrimination problem where African American girls are forced to change their hairstyle.
- Military Families - The show addresses how tough it is for children of deployed soldiers. Buffy's mom is a deployed soldier. Buffy has to live most of her life without her mom and worried whether her mom will return home safely.
- Learning Disabilities - One of the show's recurring characters potentially has a learning disability called dyscalculia which makes it difficult to understand basic math.
- Physical Disabilities - Libby is the first deaf character on Disney. She is also played by a deaf actress.
- Dress Codes - When the principal claims that Andi's outfit is distracting boys, Bex, Andi, Buffy, and Cyrus lead a demonstration to protest the unreasonable school dress codes.
- Social / Economic Gap - Through a social experiment at school, the show addresses the issue of social economic gap and privilege. It shows that everyone is equal despite some being privileged in life.
- Anxiety and Panic Attacks - One of the main characters, Jonah Beck, is now dealing with panic attacks.
- Puberty - The show is about becoming of age which includes dealing with teenage emotions, first love and heartbreaks, and discovering yourself.
- Religious and Cultural Traditions - Andi Mack not only acknowledges but embraces different cultural and religious traditions as seen in how they handle Chinese culture and Jewish traditions in multiple storylines.
- Financial Problems - Jonah's family became poor after his dad lost an investment. This caused them to lose their house and for Jonah to choose to never spend any money.
Critical Reception and Awards[]
Andi Mack has been a critical success, thanks to the show's groundbreaking storytelling.
- On April 11, 2018, Andi Mack won GLAAD's Inaugural Kids and Family Programming Media Award for its outstanding LGBTQ storyline.[1]
- On May 4, 2018, Andi Mack received a Television Academy Honor for creating stories and characters that address the complex challenges and important social issues facing society in a compelling and impactful way. [2] [3]
Trivia[]
- In the season 2 episode "Hey, Who Wants Pizza?", Andi Mack becomes the first American Disney Channel show to feature an LGBT main character, a decision which gained the show attention, both positive and negative.
- Andi Mack is the first Disney Channel show to involve teen pregnancy.
- This is the first Disney show to feature a main gay character and a coming out storyline.
- It is also the first kids' show and one of few shows in the universe to tackle the sensitive issue of gun safety.
- Unlike most live-action Disney Channel original shows, Andi Mack does not use a laugh-track. The other current one is Stuck in the Middle.
- Andi Mack, along with Stuck in the Middle, are among the few Disney shows not produced by It's a Laugh Productions.
- Andi Mack was filmed in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Its setting is the town of Shadyside in the fictional US State of Midwest.
- Andi Mack is the first show to focus on a Chinese family.
- Andi Mack is Disney Channel's first serialized TV show.
References[]
- ↑ Andi Mack wins GLAAD's Inaugural Kids and Family Programming Media Award, Variety (April 11, 2018).
- ↑ Television Academy Honors Announced Emmy's (May 4, 2018).
- ↑ 'Andi Mack', '13 Reasons Why' Among Recipients Of 11th Annual Television Academy Honors Deadline (May 4, 2018)
External links[]
