On Netflix's On My Block, there is a struggle between authenticity and pandering

The Daily Dot

Like The Chi, which also focuses on an inner-city neighborhood, the South Los Angeles-set teen series has its heart in the right place, but the results are stilted, says Chris Osterndorf. "Moments, where the kids are speaking in their own slang, are also halfway between clever and forced, like when they’re debating whether one of them is 'strike-worthy,' which is a clunky joke about parole," says Osterndorf. ALSO: On My Block is a confident series that challenges its young actors.