CSS Impact: Consulting on The Spiderwick Chronicles
Stories can help us make meaning during times of uncertainty. And for today’s young people, who face an unprecedented mental health crisis and report spending an average of 9 hours a day consuming media, entertainment has a vital role to play. Here at the Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS) at UCLA, we’re using research-informed insights to help Hollywood have a positive impact on the next generation. One of the ways we do this is through our script and creative consulting services.
In 2022, Paramount TV approached us with an opportunity to consult on their TV adaptation of the #1 New York Times bestselling series The Spiderwick Chronicles. The story centers around the Grace family (three kids Jared, Simon, and Mallory, and their mom Helen) who move to a family estate in Michigan and discover a secret world of magic. CSS helped maximize the show’s impact by ensuring that the mental health themes were depicted responsibly, that the characters’ cultures were represented accurately, and that the dialogue would resonate authentically with today’s young audiences. Three years later, we’re proud to be seeing the continued positive ripple effects from this incredible partnership.
CSS in Action, Behind the Scenes
Before the show went into production, our team — led by developmental psychologist and former movie executive Dr. Yalda T. Uhls — gave extensive notes on the first season’s episodes. CSS collaborator Dr. Maryam Kia-Keating provided expertise around mental health; Josanne Buchanan consulted around racial and cultural representation; and Atlas Burrus provided insight on portrayals of young people from both their research and lived experiences as a member of Gen Z. We worked in close collaboration with co-executive producer Jenn Kao and the show’s team of writers and creatives.
Some of the feedback CSS offered included helping the show accurately reflect psychiatric care. We offered insights into what life is actually like inside residential treatment facilities, how mental health diagnoses are made, and what types of things doctors and psychiatrists would or would not say to patients or loved ones. We also flagged language in the script that could unintentionally stigmatize mental health — like calling someone with a mental health diagnosis “sick” or “insane.” We even provided research insights around how certain comments characters made about their bodies could affect young viewers’ own body image and self esteem.
We also provided notes on how the show could build on its already established Black / African-American representation. We helped the shows’ creators understand the legacy of Black characters in science fiction, and we offered suggestions for subtleties that would make the characters feel more authentic. For example, we shared how Mallory’s character would take care of her hair as a Black woman and how that should be portrayed on screen, and we offered insights into the types of celebrities and influencers that might be displayed on posters in her room.
Finally, we were able to help adjust dialogue that young viewers might have ended up finding cheesy or quickly dated. Atlas also offered insights into the type of language young characters might use with their peers as opposed to with adults.
Impact On and Off Screen
To further spur conversations around the important themes for young people woven throughout the new series, CSS hosted an advanced screening of the first episode followed by a panel discussion before the show's official release in April 2024.
The panel featured Showrunner & Executive Producer Aron Eli Coleite (Star Trek: Discovery, Locke & Key, Daybreak), UCLA Film School alumna and Co-Executive Producer Jenn Kao (Lucifer, Daybreak), and Director & Executive Producer Kat Coiro (She-Hulk: Attorney at law, Girls5Eva), with CSS’s Dr. Ulhs moderating.
Our Founder Dr. Yalda T. Uhls with Showrunner & Executive Producer Aron Eli Coleite (Star Trek: Discovery, Locke & Key, Daybreak), UCLA Film School alumna and Co-Executive Producer Jenn Kao (Lucifer, Daybreak), and Director & Executive Producer Kat Coiro (She-Hulk: Attorney at law, Girls5Eva)
“We wanted to work with the Center for Scholars & Storytellers because they have data that helps us understand what stories help and harm,” Kao said. “[CSS] was a north star for us and a crucial part of the equation. Knowing there are tools and teams like CSS that can help us writers, directors, and creators have a more positive impact on the world is amazing — because that’s what we’re all trying to do; we all want a better world. The more we can talk about it and get the word out, I think it will help.”
With our support, The Spiderwick Chronicles became Roku’s most-watched on-demand title, garnering millions of viewers in its opening weekend alone. Reviews have praised the show’s depiction of mental health and interpersonal relationships. Variety wrote, “the focus on Jared’s struggles and how they affect his sense of self and his family’s understanding of him is effective…The Spiderwick Chronicles clearly illustrates the toll of being constantly compared to his intelligent and agreeable brother and how it has affected him over the years.” And Screenrant noted how “the Grace family's dynamic adds depth to the series,” overall rating the show “immersive, and perfect for younger audiences.”
The show has been officially nominated for 13 different Emmy awards.
Continuing to Contribute
Our impact with the Spiderwick Chronicles isn't over yet.
We’re using this project as a case study to help other researchers understand how they, too, can help support youth wellbeing through work with the entertainment industry. In partnership with the American Psychological Association (APA) — the leading scientific organization representing psychology in the United States — we’re designing a webinar for a select group of psychologists to train them how to work on similar entertainment projects.
And we know that The Spiderwick Chronicles will likely continue to have a positive impact on young viewers for years to come. After all, research shows that when media creators engage experts and align with best practices for mental health representation, viewers report higher levels of mental health understanding and lowered levels of stigma. And one of our recent studies found that after watching a popular TV show with strong mental health themes, 88% of teens talked about issues in the storyline (like suicide, substance use, and bullying) with someone in their lives, and 92% of looked up additional information and resources about mental health online.
Teens today are more diverse and attuned than ever before. Amidst a variety of complex stressors, they are continuing to look to media platforms for escape, entertainment, and guidance. When creatives and researchers join forces, the possibilities for positive impact are truly immense. Here at CSS, we look forward to continuing to bridge the gap between industries so that, together, we can harness the power of storytelling to help the next generation thrive.
Read more about how The Spiderwick Chronicles is igniting meaningful conversations in Psychology Today. To stream the hit TV show, visit Roku.com.