WHAT TO WATCH
Diary of a Future President
Disney+
Endless entertainment
In Diary of a Future President, the leader of the free world is a woman named Elena Cañero-Reed. At the moment, however, she’s still in middle school, and before she fulfills her destiny, she’ll need to navigate the nearly-as-tricky politics of...sixth grade.
Along the way, 12-year-old Elena, a Cuban American growing up in Miami, documents her journey in the pages of her trusty diary. But that journal isn’t just for her – it’s got wisdom for all of us. Here are five things we learned from watching the 10-episode show.
Lesson 1: Spelling is (ahem) imperative
If you’re going to be the president of the United States, you need to dig in on vocab. Episode 1 drops the words “assiduously” and “circuitous” in the first three minutes – which isn’t just a way to show off fancy words. It also highlights the show’s focus on education. And spelling bees. (“Cataclysmic” and “catastrophic” come up later too, but you’ll have to watch to see why.)
Lesson 2: There’s wisdom in the classics
The future POTUS has a clear love of literature – as do some characters around her (no spoilers). Which means book lovers will have a field day with the show, which by episode 2 gives shout-outs to Things Fall Apart, To Kill a Mockingbird and Brave New World.
Lesson 3: Keep a journal (obviously)
The benefits of journaling are well-documented, but the practice is especially important for Elena, who lost her father when she was 9. “When Dad needed help figuring things out, he would write it all down,” she says. She does the same in each episode – a reminder that being a leader requires taking time to slow down and collect your thoughts.
Lesson 4: Puns can be so wrong they’re right
Elena’s mum just started dating Sam, a very nice guy with one problem: He’s constantly dropping terrible dad jokes. Actually, some are pretty good dad jokes. Especially the one about the dog’s name in episode 2.
Lesson 5: You can work your way to the top
If this show has one lesson, it’s about the value of giving it your all, no matter who you are. “There’s never an excuse for not working hard,” says Elena’s mum, and she should know: She’s the mother of not just the 12-time Student of the Week but also the future president of the United States.
Disney+ works seamlessly with the Apple TV app, which brings your movies, TV shows, and live sports together in one place.