Jane review: A kids' show that could teach adults a thing or two

Indeed, the little prodigy would be a pill if she weren’t played with such humor, poise, and thoughtfulness. Murchison is sweet without being cloying, her acting confident without turning canned. She makes for a Gen Alpha hero we can get behind. “We shouldn’t let [sharks] disappear just because we’re scared of them,” Jane says in frustration as she and David chase one through a supermarket. “People are the apex predator of the world—which means it’s our job to keep the chain from falling apart. Which we’re not doing.” Sign us up, Jane.

The takeaways each episode are concrete and actionable: Recycling can help reduce Arctic ice loss, which affects polar bears; eating sustainable fish will cut down on food scarcity for sharks; bees are only a nuisance if harassed by humans, and they are integral to plant life.

For parents watching along, the occasional celebrity cameo adds spice. The Kids In The Hall’s Mark McKinney drops in as Jane’s stuffy school principal after she tackles a classmate throwing rocks at a beehive. The tart, arch Mary-Louise Parker pops up as a cranky lady in a spooky old house whom Jane convinces to stop using pesticide on her fruit trees. Tellingly, many of the adults in this world are divorced or widowers, stressed or depressed, which feeds into their lack of eco-awareness. (One exception is David, who has two dads.) “Why are some people so angry?” Jane asks her mom. “Life’s not easy, sweetie,” Maria replies. “Sometimes, it’s easier for people to be angry at the world instead of doing something to change it.” You could dismiss such lines as reductive—if they weren’t basically true.

Time will tell if Jane joins the distinguished company of 3-2-1 Contact, Bill Nye The Science Guy and Dora The Explorer, classics in kids’ edutainment. In terms of production values and visual ambition the show’s an evolutionary leap beyond those; the flora and fauna are rendered by executive producer Matt Bishop and his VFX team with Spielbergian awe and granular precision.

At the end of each action-packed day, Jane video chats with a scientist in the relevant field (bats, bees, tigers, whales). After the call, she transfers the scientist’s photo from her scrapbook to the “hero wall” in her bedroom. Oddly, the end credits don’t mention the scientists or plug their websites, a missed opportunity. At any rate, Jane may inspire kids to learn more about climate change and natural sciences. As Goodall has said: “Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, can they be saved.” Let’s hope they includes we.