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"Do you love me?"
On Children was an omnibus of 5 long episodes or television movies, each self-contained with their own story and characters. Like creepy episodes of the Twilight Zone-fantasy or science fiction was involved in every story about children and their domineering mothers. There were different themes, but a predominant one was, “Be careful what you wish for.”
Episode 1-“Mother’s remote” aka “I won’t disappoint Mom.”
Pei Wei is a better artist than student though he does try hard. His efforts and lack of perfection are not acceptable to his mother. He is about to learn the dark side of “Groundhog Day.”
Episode 2-“Child of the Cat” aka “You only want me to become what you wish to see.”
Guo Yan’s parents argue often over his inadequate test scores and beat him with the stick of discipline just as often. A box of cats and a violent girl at school open up a new dimension for improving said test scores, but of course, the trick comes with a price.
Episode 3: “The Last Day of Molly” aka “Who’s looking? Why do you care so much about them?”
Molly wants to be a writer, but her mother is focused on Molly becoming a doctor. When Molly commits suicide, her mother is introduced to a machine that can help her see Molly’s memories. This mother comes to realize she didn’t know her daughter at all.
Episode 4: “Peacock” aka “Giving birth to children is like an investment.”
Qiao Yi goes to an exclusive school populated by the super-rich. Her parents work numerous jobs to pay for her tuition. One day while eating lunch, the school’s caged peacock makes her an offer she can’t refuse.
Episode 5: “ADHD Is Necessary” aka “A person’s value shouldn’t be determined by a single test.”
In the future, women are inseminated with genetically engineered embryos. Yang is a superstar mom whose last child had been a gold medal student. Her current child, Ruo Wa, is struggling scholastically. In this world scholastic failure is met with permanent consequences.
In every episode, the mothers used emotional and physical punishment for children failing to live up to their standards. The primary goals for the children were to be obedient and to excel in school. The children were suffocated and their dreams crushed under their mothers’ heels. The cults of education and motherhood demanded perfection. Their children were their hope and their investments like stock market commodities. The mothers used their children as ladders and tools to enhance their reputations and/or lifestyles. The children were compared to others, called “useless”, with their class rankings determining their worth. They were often driven to desperate and irrevocable decisions. While the mothers were shown as unflinchingly driven and in some cases heartless, the fathers were often a softer place to land, with the exception of Guo Yan’s abusive father.
On Children was a tough watch. Watching kids barely given room to breathe much less have fun, controlled by selfish draconian mothers made me wonder if there would be more matricide attempts. But these kids often turned their anger and despair onto themselves. A common question was, “Do you love me?” A simple question that rarely had the answer that they or we would want to hear. On Children was well made, with overly long episodes, and quality acting for the most part. But not an easy binge. I did learn a valuable lesson though, if a talking peacock tries to make a deal with you, walk away, or maybe run.
15 May 2025
Trigger warnings: Suicides and suicide attempts, self-harm, and animal abuse.
Episode 1-“Mother’s remote” aka “I won’t disappoint Mom.”
Pei Wei is a better artist than student though he does try hard. His efforts and lack of perfection are not acceptable to his mother. He is about to learn the dark side of “Groundhog Day.”
Episode 2-“Child of the Cat” aka “You only want me to become what you wish to see.”
Guo Yan’s parents argue often over his inadequate test scores and beat him with the stick of discipline just as often. A box of cats and a violent girl at school open up a new dimension for improving said test scores, but of course, the trick comes with a price.
Episode 3: “The Last Day of Molly” aka “Who’s looking? Why do you care so much about them?”
Molly wants to be a writer, but her mother is focused on Molly becoming a doctor. When Molly commits suicide, her mother is introduced to a machine that can help her see Molly’s memories. This mother comes to realize she didn’t know her daughter at all.
Episode 4: “Peacock” aka “Giving birth to children is like an investment.”
Qiao Yi goes to an exclusive school populated by the super-rich. Her parents work numerous jobs to pay for her tuition. One day while eating lunch, the school’s caged peacock makes her an offer she can’t refuse.
Episode 5: “ADHD Is Necessary” aka “A person’s value shouldn’t be determined by a single test.”
In the future, women are inseminated with genetically engineered embryos. Yang is a superstar mom whose last child had been a gold medal student. Her current child, Ruo Wa, is struggling scholastically. In this world scholastic failure is met with permanent consequences.
In every episode, the mothers used emotional and physical punishment for children failing to live up to their standards. The primary goals for the children were to be obedient and to excel in school. The children were suffocated and their dreams crushed under their mothers’ heels. The cults of education and motherhood demanded perfection. Their children were their hope and their investments like stock market commodities. The mothers used their children as ladders and tools to enhance their reputations and/or lifestyles. The children were compared to others, called “useless”, with their class rankings determining their worth. They were often driven to desperate and irrevocable decisions. While the mothers were shown as unflinchingly driven and in some cases heartless, the fathers were often a softer place to land, with the exception of Guo Yan’s abusive father.
On Children was a tough watch. Watching kids barely given room to breathe much less have fun, controlled by selfish draconian mothers made me wonder if there would be more matricide attempts. But these kids often turned their anger and despair onto themselves. A common question was, “Do you love me?” A simple question that rarely had the answer that they or we would want to hear. On Children was well made, with overly long episodes, and quality acting for the most part. But not an easy binge. I did learn a valuable lesson though, if a talking peacock tries to make a deal with you, walk away, or maybe run.
15 May 2025
Trigger warnings: Suicides and suicide attempts, self-harm, and animal abuse.
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