troperville

tools

toys

SubpagesAwesome
Fridge
Funny
Haiku
Heartwarming
Laconic
Main
NightmareFuel
Quotes
TearJerker
WMG
WebVideo
YMMV

main index

Narrative

Genre

Media

Topical Tropes

Other Categories

TV Tropes Org
random
Web Video: React
aka: Kids React
"Kids React to... Websites!
This episode: TV Tropes!"

React is Exactly What It Says on the Tin — the Fine Brothers, Benny and Rafi, who produce other material on their channel but are best known for this, show viral videos, popular songs, YouTube stars or the like to various people of different age groups, the first of which is Kids React where children from 4 to 14 years old react to such videos. This series, which debuted on October 16, 2010, won a special Daytime Emmy Award in 2012 for "Best Viral Video Series" and it was no slouch in winning this either, considering that the series went up against the likes of Epic Meal Time and College Humor's Jake And Amir.

When teenage kids enter high school, they "graduate" to Teens React, the second age group in the React series which debuted November 17, 2011 and is based around a similar principle, just with teenagers ages 14 to 18. (After they graduate from high school, they remain on Teens React until they turn 19.) Since those two were made, another React series debuted on May 24, 2012 called Elders React, which obviously has elderly people in the main roles.

The React series came full circle when YouTubers React debuted on December 6, 2012, and yes, this is the closest thing that this show will get to an "Adults React".

All React episodes can be found on the TheFineBros YouTube channel here. As of this video, new Kids React and Teens React episodes come out interchangeably on Sundays, new YouTubers React episodes come out every other Thursday, and new Elders React episodes come out at least once a month on Thursdays when there isn't a new episode of either YouTubers React or Spoilers.note 

The React meta-series has examples of the following:

    open/close all folders 

    Series-wide 
  • Absentee Actor: Despite that they rotate the people around, there are a few regulars and fan favorites missing every now and then. Lia not appearing in "Teens React to Jacksfilms" and "Teens React to Dumb Ways to Die" are standout examples.
  • Adorkable: Anytime Lia opens her mouth.
    • Jordan Maron and Tom Syndicate have this covered for YouTubers. Grace Helbig is going to catch the My Music viewers by complete surprise.
  • Ambiguously Brown: Dylan and Emma R. from Kids, Britney and Brianna from Teens and some others.
    Dylan: "Everyone thinks I'm Japanese, I'M NOT JAPANESE! (I'm) Indonesian! Now you know!"
  • Aside Glance: Every now and then.
  • Audience Participation: Almost every single topic is suggested by fans, although some viewers have negatively commented on the overwhelming preference for more recent topics. Some of the regulars on the React shows have even questioned why did viewers pick some of the videos they've watched, and have made pleas to the fans to pick something better than what they've put up with.
  • A Very Special Episode:
    • Kids React: The ones on KONY 2012, bullying, and Osama bin Laden's death were more serious and more thought-provoking than the average episode (especially the KONY 2012 video).
    • Teens React also covered bullying, having been shown the Amanda Todd video on React's one hundredth episode. Weeks later, they've covered the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
  • Bald of Awesome: Some of the elders, of course. Victor and Isaac from Teens have a perma-head-stubble thing going for them.
  • Bilingual Bonus: Maksim (not the piano player) says goodbye in his native Russian at the end of "Dragon Baby" as well as something a bit longer at the end of "Kids React to The Hobbit".
  • Blah Blah Blah: From one teen on Shane Dawson to one elder on Barack Obama of all things.
  • Borrowed Catchphrase:
  • Brief Accent Imitation: Every now and then with the kids and teens. In particular, the girls seem to get theirs from Charlieissocoollike, and all the kids do a Southern drawl disturbingly well during "Kids React to Here Comes Honey Boo Boo".
  • Brutal Honesty: Depending on the subject.
  • Call Back:
  • The Cast Showoff: Eric working it to Taylor Swift. And behold his human jukebox act!
  • Catchphrase: Lia's "creeper" and Morgan's "Follow me, camera!" There's also Eric's "Swag".
    • Lia did stop using "creeper" after, of all things, "Kids React to Minecraft", but she finally said it again in the Teens and Elders React crossover episode, "Teens/Elders React to Election 2012".
    • Invoked one time with Morgan (ignoring her no-longer-used, "Follow me, camera!" catchphrase). She yells out "Pig supreme!" when reacting to the Rebecca Black video ("It was like "pig supreme". It's a dessert with a pig on top"), which would fit all the requirements of a catchphrase apart from her using it only one other time. (In the same filming session, but shown in a different video, she shouts "Very fantastic. Pig Supreme" when reacting to Talking Twin Babies.)
  • Cloudcuckoolander: Morgan, every now and then. Justified since she's five years old at the beginning of the series. In recent days she's been growing out of that, or at least she's better at expressing it... along with some Hidden Depths.
    • Dylan is also a bit of this, although he's older so it's harder to explain about him.
    • Royel and Emma R. are often this as well, and they're both about the same age at six years old. Sadly Emma's been growing out of it, but newcomer Maksim (also 6!) is a serious contender.
    Maksim: "I wish my parents were witches and wizards, then I can do everything I want."
    • Some of the elders are this when they get into things, especially Diane.
  • Color-Coded Characters: The shows' thumbnails on YouTube; a yellow background for Kids, cyan for Teens, grey for Elders and fittingly, red for YouTubers.note 
  • Comedic Sociopathy: "Elders React to the Scary Elevator Prank". Thanks to the trick being revealed early, the bulk of the reactions was basically the elders laughing their heads off at the poor victims.
    • Of course, there are other instances of these reactions on the other React series, such as the YouTubers laughing at the German man jumping and falling on the frozen pool.
  • Comically Missing the Point: You expect one of the elders (Vera) to miss that every video is available online, but one of the teens (Jeannie)?
    • Don apparently missed the whole "satire" thing with The Lonely Island.
    • In one Kids React video, Jake figures out that the Fine Brothers are actually brothers.
  • Cross Over: When the kids encounter Epic Meal Time.
    • There is also the first (and so far, only) cross-generational React episode in "Teens/Elders React to Election 2012". Kids React had a separate, individual episode, though their reactions were mentioned to both the teens and the elders.
    • William and Dylan in "Jedi A-holes Strike Back" by Freddie Wong, who returns the favor by appearing in YouTubers React episode 2.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Plenty of the older kids fall into this, mostly Jake and William. Out of the teens, Rumor, Tom, Adam, Alix, and most definitely Eric have their moments. YouTubers React takes this Up to Eleven of course, and the elders are naturally in a class of their own.
    Benny Fine: "Do you want to get married one day?"
    Adam: "Yes. (Beat) I couldn't think of anything smartass to say."
  • Don't Try This at Home: The Fine Brothers put up this warning for "Kids React to Cinnamon Challenge", "Elders React to Challenges (Cinnamon, Salt & Ice, and Milk Chug)", and "YouTubers React to Knife Game Song", and for good reason, too.
    Jake Short: "All of the stuff in this video was attempted by non-professionals, so don't try this at home. Try it at your friend's house."
  • Dirty Old Man: Not really, but a few of the male elders had no particular qualms in commenting on the attractiveness of certain young females in the videos.
    • Boy, were the YouTubers disturbed when Benny mentioned that Magibon's most popular demographic were men 45 and older.
  • Eagleland/Testosterone Poisoning: The "BAD ASS" overlay involves camo patterns, warpaint, bullet holes, a bandolier with throwing knives and to top it off, a bald eagle carrying a machine gun.
    • Invoked (with the latter trope) during "Teens React to FPS Russia", of course.
    Adam: "It's too awesome for words, maybe short grunt noises like UUHHH!! UURRRHH!!1"
  • Expy: Emma R. is a lot like Morgan back when the latter was 5.
    • There are some differences between what they like and dislike though; Morgan loved the PonPonPon music video, while Emma R. was just screaming in horror.
    • Bryson could also be seen as an Expy of the long-absent William (though he joined the kids well before William actually left).
      • Interestingly, William's snark and savvy seems to be separated between Eric and Adam from Teens.
    • Royel to Buckwheat unintentionally.
  • Eye Take: Morgan during the "le Internet Medley" video. She was laughing, and suddenly went "O_O what the heck?!" when the ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US part barges in.
    • Some of the teens watching the honey badger tear up the snake.
  • Facepalm: Done occasionally. Also in headdesk variant!
  • Fingerless Gloves: Mikaela in "Kids React to Golden Eagle Snatches Kid" for some reason.
    • Jennie in "Teens React to Psy's 'Gentleman'"
    • Britney is rocking this one-sided fishnet affair in "Teens React to Hair Tutorial Gone Wrong".
  • Follow the Leader: There was an attempt at a British version of Kids React by a group not related to the Fine Brothers.
    • There was also a "Seniors React to LMFAO" (specifically the "Sexy and I Know It" video), inspired by Kids React while inadvertently predicting Elders React.
  • Freeze Frame Bonus: Invoked in this special announcement, where the newest additions to YouTubers React were subtly revealed in this fashion. Grace Helbig was revealed this way.
  • Fun T-Shirt: Several from the teens, YouTubers and even elders. Of special note, Alix has a The Legend of Zelda one, and newcomer Richard from Elders has this 'Irish Yoga' one.
  • Gender Blender Name: The black chick on Teens is named Kennedy, and a blonde girl in Kids is named Cooper.
  • Genre Savvy: Yehuda is the first one to be suspicious of the mirrors in the elevator. Rock apparently anticipated the direction the video would take when the first male victim appeared.
    • Quite a few guys predicted the screaming goat in YouTubers React #6. Similarly, Smosh even mentions Rule of Three for the Knife Game one.
  • Hair Decorations: Morgan, in her Christmas costume.
    • Rumor in "Prank vs Prank" has a Union Jack bow that matches her blouse!
    • Cooper and her hippy headband. It's not an easy look to pull off.
  • Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Lia is definitely one of the nicer people in the series.
  • Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: "[Age group or YouTubers] React to [Topic]"
  • Innocently Insensitive: It's Lia, so it may well count as this:
    Benny Fine: "Which specific ex-boyfriend do you think ["We are Never Ever Ever Getting Back Together"] was about?"
    Lia: "Oh my god, I can't name them all!"
    • And during the exclusive "Kids React to Vidcon":
    Benny Fine: "What kind of people do you think go to Vidcon?"
    Darius: "People who don't have a job."
    Everhet: "People who have no life and are covered in acne."
    • Dylan going "he's too old to have that kind of girls" in response to One Pound Fish. The guy's only 31!
    • However, Dylan scores some points for knowing what Harlem is ("Kids React to the Harlem Shake"), while Everhet thought it was "a prison or a very bad neighborhood".
  • I Want You to Meet an Old Friend of Mine: Bordering on the literal interpretation of this trope, the Teens React episode released on December 17, 2012 features Jacksfilms by Jack Douglass, who already has a role (Intern 2) on the other major Fine Brothers' production, My Music.
    • Then crosses that border in YouTubers React episode 3, with Grace Helbig (Idol) actually in the studio! Then comes Jack himself in episode 5!
  • Jaw Drop: Kostas in "Teens React to Facebook Parenting".
    • A beautiful one from Don in "Elders React to Happy Tree Friends".
    • Paris and Morgan in "Golden Eagle Snatches Kid".
    • A perfect one from Lia when she finds out who originally did the cup song in "Teens React to the Cup Song".
  • Loads and Loads of People: There are quite more than a few regulars that get rotated around often in each React series. Usually, these recurring people may be absent so that the Fine Bros can balance each episode between regulars, newcomers, and the occasional Special Guest.
  • Medium Awareness: "HEY! YouTube videos AREN'T crappy."
    • The teens also became aware of the overlays as well, like the red X's and green check mark for the rapid-fire Q&A.
    • This golden moment in "YouTubers React to Rewind YouTube Style":
    MysteryGuitarMan: "I think it's a brilliant thing to get a bunch of YouTube stars to be in one specif- Wait a second! WAIT A SECOND! I know what this is! I know - you guys are using me!" (leaves in a mock hissyfit)
  • Mood Whiplash: What follows "Teens React to Bullying (Amanda Todd)"? "Kids React to 'It's Thanksgiving' (Nicole Westbrook)".
    • Near the end of the latter episode, Morgan went from being calm and polite to mad and argumentative upon hearing that a lot of people dislike the song just for the heck of it. Note that Morgan was one of only a couple kids who likes this song and was very defensive of it.
    Benny Fine: So many people are so mean about this video, but you're so nice about it.
    Morgan: Thank you.
    Rafi Fine: So many people seem to find it fun to not like videos.
    Morgan: That is bad! Bad! Just don't even give it thumbs down, just say you hate it, but don't show it!
    • There's several cases of conflicting views lined up together.
  • Nice Hat: Some kids and teens on random occasions. Jake's fedora is a notable Kids React example.
    • Rock from Elders wore his stetson into the studio for "Election 2012" and (quite appropriately) "Gangnam Style".
    • Yehuda Fine wears his black baseball cap backwards.
    • Jeordy's feathered hat in "Teens React to the Cup Song"
  • Noodle Incident:
    Maksim: "Once I bited one of my parents, and he had blood."
    • From "Elders React to Murdered My Wisdom Teeth":
    Rock: "I had a back operation... when I came out, I was really in a different place, and I thought I was in Vietnam."
  • N-Word Privileges: From Ethan laughing off the idea that he would still be a slave if not for progress and amendments, to Royel just blurting out "is he black?" in response to the One Pound Fish guy (Pakistani, for the record).
  • Once per Episode: Question Time!note 
  • One of Us: Several kids on the show, especially William. Also invoked with the teens, and seems to be the whole point of YouTubers React.
  • One Steve Limit: Averted. They've managed to have two Emmas, both of whom stand out on their own merit ("Emma's Words of Wisdom" and Emma R. just being herself).
    • After the guest appearance of Alex Steele ("Teens React to the Honey Badger"), they've managed to get a male Alex for their next guest. ("Teens React to Jacksfilms")
      • We've also had two Lucases (one guest on Teens, one newcomer on Kids). And it took a while but they now have a second Morgan, who's alongside Morgan Bertsch (the regular) in "Kids React to Grumpy Cat".
    • They've even got two Adams; the Teens React regular and Tay Zonday, whose real first name is Adam.
  • Precision F-Strike: Alix from Teens React delivers a contemptible "God dammit" when she's forced to play Slender.
    Catherine: "Take a shower, wash your hair, put on some clothes, go out and get a job and leave us the f—k alone."
    • One of the rare meaningful ones from "Teens React to Dumb Ways to Die":
    Kostas: "Big things going really fast are gonna f—k you up, so don't f—k with trains."
    Overlay: "KNOWLEDGE (A public service announcement from Teens React)"
  • Put on a Bus: Some of the React series' old regulars have ended up leaving the show for no apparent reason, most notably William Sherman of Kids React.
    • The Bus Came Back: There was a long period of time when Morgan was absent from Kids React, but she has since returned to the series a bit older now.
  • Reaction Shot: Well, duh.
  • Real-Life Relative: Turns out Lia and Emma (and Sammie from the earliest episodes) are sisters, who knew?
    • Athena's brother Demitri has shown up in a couple of episodes as well.
  • Recycled Premise: All of the React series have gone over some of the same topics as another React in some form or another at various points.
    • Most of the earlier Elders React episodes covered topics that were already covered by Kids and Teens React. They're just recently started to get away from this, but currently, there are at least four episodes that covers a topic not previously discussed by the youth.
    • Kids React has repeated some topics from the other Reacts, as they've discussed about One Direction, which was once a topic on Teens React. Granted the Fine Brothers showed a different music video, but still.
    • With "Teens React to Bullying (Amanda Todd)", since bullying was already covered by Kids React, all of the first three React series have reused a topic at some point.
    • Guess which viral video was one of the first three videos shown to the YouTubers. Yes, it's "Gangnam Style", which was already covered by Teens and Elders React. Even Shane Dawson went Screw This, I'm Outta Here for a second.
      • It gets ridiculous in episode two when the first video on that episode is "Chocolate Rain" (last seen on Kids React), with Tay Zonday himself in the studio.
      • Episode four of YouTubers React features Fred, which came up once very early in Kids (twice if you count Lucas Cruikshank showing up in person for Teens).
    • If we're going purely by topics, elaborate/extreme pranking has been covered across the first three series:
      • "Kids React to Fake Celebrity Prank" and "Remi Gaillard"
      • "Elders React to Scary Elevator Prank"
      • "Teens React to Prank vs Prank" and "Improv Everywhere"
    • Setting a new record for how quickly a popular topic can be repeated,note  the "Harlem Shake" got covered by the teens a week after the kids covered it. Apparently, fans needed to know both age groups' opinions on it very badly. It seemed like after the Teens React episode it was pretty much inevitable that they would also get the elders and YouTubers reacting to it as soon as possible, but thanks to the rapid burnout the meme suffered this topic never got to be covered on the other two shows.
    • Boxxy was shown in Teens React and YouTubers React.
    • On the other hand, it took them one and a half years to revisit Hatsune Miku for Elders React (now with an additional clip with Kagamine Rin and Len).
    • The Japanese dog commercial was shown on Kids React and YouTubers React.
    • "Teens React to the Cup Game" could be considered a Bowdlerization of "YouTubers React to the Knife Game".
  • Running Gag: A few.
    • Emma's (and later others') Words of Wisdom.
    • Aw... CUTE!
    • There were also three or four instances of Words of Zen.
    • TRUTH!
    • PLAYA!
    • A Teens React-specific one has Eric trying to hook up with the pretty women that he has just seen in the videos by giving out his phone number, only to be censored post-production after the 925 area code to protect his full identity.
    • The screen going Deliberately Monochrome and skewing when one of the kids starts getting scary.
  • Sassy Black Girl: Kennedy from Teens is a mild case. Maiya from Kids is a pretty straight example.
  • Self-Deprecation: From some of the girls on Shit Girls Say.
    Lucas Cruikshank: "I know some girls that are more manly than me!"
    Shannon: "It's called 'American entertainment'."
    Megan: "We are stupid."
    Overlay: TRUTH
    Owen: "I'm a sick f—k, what can I say?!"
    • From "YouTubers React to Rewind YouTube Style"
    Ian: "It's just a bunch of random douchebags..."
    Anthony: "Some YouTube stars who "think" they are famous!"
    • This one from "Kids React to Grumpy Cat" when the kids try to come up with funny captions:
    Bryson: "'They canceled Kids React' and make him say 'Good'."
    (The Fine Brothers laugh with Bryson.)
    • From "Teens React to the Cup Song"
    Kennedy: "Some of my friends are like, 'I play the cup.' I think it's a "cool" instrument to play. I just play the didgeridoo and the violin"
  • She Cleans Up Nicely: Jeordy from Teens.
    • Catherine from Elders is almost unrecognizable in a pantsuit with her hair up.
  • Shout Out:
  • Small Reference Pools: On average, about a fifth of the people already know of the subject matter. The teens (and YouTubers!) can be counted on to skew this figure up to a third, but not always - just watch what happened when Lia only just learned about Amanda Todd.
    Pamela (reacting to Breaking Dawn Part 2): "I've seen this before on TV... The Vampire Diaries."
  • Special Guest:
  • Spin-Off: Teens React, Elders React, and YouTubers React are all really this to Kids React.
  • Strange Minds Think Alike: Lampshaded when the Fine Brothers tend to edit all the nearly-identical reactions in direct succession.
    • When the elders were asked about what they'd do to the Creepy Child ("Scary Elevator Prank") and the kids about what they'd do when approached by a stuffed dragon toy ("Dragon Baby"), the phrase "probably kick it" came up both times. Similarly, both Morgan from Kids and Madison from Teens say "put some pants on" in regards to the Harlem Shake.
  • Strictly Formula: We watch a bunch of people of a certain age group (or a bunch of Internet video celebrities) watch a video or a series of videos that are related to the subject of discussion and see their reactions to those videos. Then, two producer brothers ask them questions about what they've just watched. After that, the interviewees say goodbye to us and request that we give a thumbs up to the video we've watched, subscribe to the producers' YouTube channel, and suggest a new topic for them to cover.
    • One exception to the first part is "Teens React to Slender", which is explained in the Teens React folder. Also, the very special episodes often lack the goodbyes and replace the intro with a message from the Fine Brothers explaining why they've decided to have them tackle these stronger subjects.
    • YouTubers React tends to be about two-thirds Internet culture (either YouTubers or memes) and one-third pop culture.
  • Stupid Statement Dance Mix: Courtesy of Mike Relm.
  • Take That: With so many different reactions, some fall under this.
  • The Voice: The brothers never appeared onscreen until Benny appeared in the bonus footage of "Teens React to Prank vs. Prank'' (as well as Rafi's hand). Both of them appeared in a main video for the first time at the end of "Teens React to Harlem Shake". This doesn't matter much as they have appeared in the flesh in their other shows well before these videos were made.
  • Throw It In: Twins Megan and Shannon sometimes get sidetracked thanks to... well, each other.
  • Younger Than They Look: Quite a few of the kids and teens. Also inverted, of course - for one, Jake Short returned to Teens React ("Hair Tutorial Gone Wrong") eight months after he first appeared in "Salad Fingers", and he HAS NOT AGED A DAY.

    Kids React 

    Teens React 

    Elders React 
  • Alter Kocker: Marty. Strangely averted with the Fine Brothers' own father - and he's named Yehuda!
  • Black Comedy: Rock joking about how he'd probably die of a heart attack if faced with the Creepy Child.
  • Celebrity Resemblance: Half the comments on "Elders React to the Scary Elevator Prank" are about how Yehuda Fine (the Fine Brothers' father!) looks like Steve Jobs if he were alive today.
  • Cool Old Guy/Cool Old Lady: A lot of the elders can veer into this, especially the more relaxed and open-minded ones.
  • Gosh Darn It to Heck!: Rock going "Shut the front door!" and "scared spitless".
  • Limited Wardrobe: Diane has worn the same bright pink dress since first Elders React episode was made. Even her more formal top for "Election 2012" is also pink!
    • Yehuda Fine in an identical sweater and even that cap of his in his second appearance.
  • One of Us: Owen, surprisingly enough.
  • Screw Politeness, I'm A Senior!: Some of the elders have no problem with swearing. The teens sometimes get bleeped out, but the elders are the most foul-mouthed bunch on the channel.
  • Seen It All: When asked what they'd do about the Creepy Child in the Scary Elevator Prank:
    Vera: "I'd ask what is wrong, why are you screaming? I was a school psychologist, I've been screamed at many times."
  • Shell-Shocked Veteran: Averted; Rock brings up his military background and losing two brothers to wars, but he's one of the most jovial elders (not as much as Diane though).
  • Tempting Fate: Vera, when watching "YOLO" by The Lonely Island:
    "It's not violent for once." (piano falls on someone in the video) "Oops! I said it too soon."

    YouTubers React 

Morgan: "Thanks for reading!"
Eric: "Let us know in the comments what we should check out next!"
Don: "If you liked this article, give it a big thumbs up!"
Royel: "An' you gotta subscwibe or the tropers will break into your kitchen and eat all your cookies."
Anthony Padilla: "And while you're at it, may as well subscribe to all of us."
Ian Hecox: "Especially the one with the two brunette guys. (not-at-all-subtle pointing) Right there. There. See that? That right there."
Vera: "To watch deleted reactions, click the box below."
Maksim: "Das vedanya!"
Lia: "Gimme a sec..." (staring into the monitor, clicking a few times) "No, later. (Beat) I'm just kidding, bye everybody!" (giggling, goes back to clicking)
(Fade to Black)
RBG ProductionsWeb VideoReal Housewives Of South Boston

alternative title(s): Kids React; Teens React; Kids React; React; Elders React; Teens React; Elders React; You Tubers React; You Tubers React
random
TV Tropes by TV Tropes Foundation, LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org.
Privacy Policy
132945
38