Saving Me - The Candidate (S2E3)
When a mayoral candidate proposes to make the school day longer, Bennett uses AI to create an opponent named Abraham Trutherman to run against her.
| Runtime (min) | 22 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2023-03-05 |
| Genres | Animation, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi & Fantasy |
| TV Rating | TV-G |
| Network(s) | BYU Television |
Storyline
When a mayoral candidate announces a proposal to extend the school day, Bennett and his friends are less than thrilled about the prospect of spending even more hours in class. Determined to stop the initiative, Bennett hatches a plan that involves using artificial intelligence to generate a fictional opponent. He creates Abraham Trutherman, a computer-generated candidate designed to run against the real mayoral hopeful and derail her education platform.
As Bennett's AI creation gains unexpected traction in the race, the scheme spirals beyond his control. What starts as a simple prank to protect his after-school free time becomes a complicated web of deception. Bennett must navigate the consequences of his digital interference in local politics while grappling with the ethical implications of using technology to manipulate public opinion, even for what he considers a good cause.
What kids learn
This episode offers children a timely lesson about the ethics of technology and the responsibility that comes with powerful digital tools. Bennett's use of AI to create a fake political candidate demonstrates how easily technology can be misused to deceive others, even when the initial intention seems harmless or justified. Young viewers can reflect on the difference between clever problem-solving and manipulation, and consider how shortcuts that involve dishonesty often create bigger problems than they solve.
The story also introduces children to concepts of civic engagement and the importance of honest participation in democratic processes. Rather than creating a fictional candidate, Bennett could have organized his peers to attend town halls, circulate petitions, or speak directly to school board members about their concerns. The episode shows that when you disagree with a policy, the ethical path involves transparent advocacy and persuasion, not trickery.
Additionally, children learn about unintended consequences and the difficulty of controlling situations once deception is set in motion. Bennett's plan quickly exceeds his ability to manage it, illustrating how lies tend to grow and complicate rather than resolve problems.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the AI technology Bennett uses realistic for a kid his age? | The episode takes creative liberties for comedic and narrative purposes. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, creating a convincing fake political candidate would require sophisticated resources beyond what most children could access. The scenario serves as a springboard for discussing technology ethics rather than a realistic depiction of what kids can do with current AI tools. It's a good opportunity to talk about how technology is portrayed in fiction versus real-world capabilities and limitations. |
| What should I tell my child about creating fake people or accounts online? | This episode provides a perfect opening to discuss digital ethics and the real consequences of online deception. Explain that creating fake identities, whether through AI or simple fake accounts, is dishonest and often illegal. It can harm real people, spread misinformation, and erode trust in institutions. Emphasize that even when someone disagrees with a rule or policy, honesty and transparency are non-negotiable values. Help your child understand that their digital actions have real-world impact. |
| How can I help my child understand appropriate ways to advocate for change? | Use Bennett's misguided approach as a contrast to legitimate advocacy. Discuss how students can voice concerns through student council, parent-teacher organizations, public comment periods at school board meetings, or age-appropriate petitions. Explain that democracy works when people engage honestly and openly, not through manipulation. Encourage your child to think about issues they care about at school and brainstorm ethical ways to make their voice heard, emphasizing that real change comes from transparent participation. |
| Does the episode show consequences for Bennett's actions? | The episode depicts Bennett struggling to manage the fallout from his deception as his AI candidate gains unexpected momentum. While the specific resolution depends on the episode's conclusion, the narrative structure emphasizes that his scheme creates complications he didn't anticipate. This provides a teaching moment about how dishonest shortcuts typically backfire and create more problems than they solve, reinforcing that ethical behavior isn't just morally right but also practically wiser in the long run. |
| Is this episode appropriate for discussing misinformation and fake news? | Absolutely. Bennett's creation of a fictional candidate mirrors real-world concerns about misinformation, deepfakes, and the manipulation of public opinion through technology. The episode offers an age-appropriate entry point for discussing how false information spreads, why it's harmful to democratic processes, and the importance of verifying sources. You can help your child understand that just as Bennett's fake candidate is wrong, so is sharing unverified information online or believing everything they see without questioning its source. |
Writing
Directing
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Old Bennett goes back in time to persuade his younger self to be kinder to his sister, Sophie. But Young and Old Bennett's attempt to make things right turns Sophie into a fearless crime fighter...and puts her in danger! |
| 1 | 2 | After consulting the Unicorn Commandos, Old and Young Bennett build a life-size animatronic moose ninja for Liam's gaming videos. But chaos ensues when the robot moose ninja goes on a terror spree through Star City! |
| 1 | 3 | Bennett invents a device that gives his new pet dog super intelligence. Things go haywire when the dog becomes a talking criminal mastermind! |
| 1 | 4 | Young Bennett risks losing his friends when he upstages them during a TV quiz show. Young and Old Bennett construct a snow cone-making robot to help win his friends back, but the robot malfunctions and causes the blizzard of the century! |
| 1 | 5 | Young Bennett accidentally unleashes an army of sasquatches when he visits his father's shampoo factory. |
| 1 | 6 | Robber Boss uses Young Bennett's Engineer Club to devise a break Momma Robber out of jail. Old Bennett builds a headband that turns people's criticisms into compliments. |
| 1 | 7 | Old Bennett convinces his younger self to take up Boot Ball, his mom's favorite sport. Things quickly get out of hand when Young Bennett tricks out his Boot Ball boots with artificial intelligence. |
| 1 | 8 | Sophie and Liam try to top each other's Mother Day gifts. Old and Young Bennett take a trip down Memory Lane. |
| 1 | 9 | Snodgrass eyes Young Bennett's robot Edee for military purposes, while Young Bennett and Penelope must work together to fend off an alien crystal. |
| 1 | 10 | Snodgrass creates a giant vampire-dentist-robot to capture the Guardian. Young Bennett, Sophie and Liam try to find the Guardian, but get wrangled into a showdown with Robber Boss. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | To bypass being grounded, Young Bennett builds a body-swapping device and trades places with Nira. Meanwhile, the DGS stages a fake commercial to convince Star City that the Mystery Soldier was just a publicity stunt. |
| 2 | 2 | With Old Bennett's help, Young Bennett makes a unique music instrument for Sophie that catches the attention of an evil pop star named Trill. |
| 2 | 3 | When a mayoral candidate proposes to make the school day longer, Bennett uses AI to create an opponent named Abraham Trutherman to run against her. |
| 2 | 4 | The annual Bramble fishing trip goes haywire when Bennett's newest invention turns aquatic animals into giants. |
| 2 | 5 | Bennett's ego gets the better of him when he takes over his sister Sophie's Unicorn Commandos fan film. Meanwhile, Inspector Gorgana of the Galactic Alliance meets with the DGS. |
| 2 | 6 | Young and Old Bennett build a device called the Emplifier to get Jessica, Liam's latest crush, to notice him. But the Emplifier works too well and turns everyone it encounters into obsessed Liam fans. |
| 2 | 7 | The Bramble kids spend too much time on their digital devices. Robber Mama returns and kidnaps Young Bennett. |
| 2 | 8 | Bennett devises a get-rich-quick scheme to earn money for a Unicorn Commandos remote controlled monster truck toy. But Young Bennett's actions affects Old Bennett's timeline. |
| 2 | 9 | Bennett creates a "sleeping cap" to curtail his grumpiness. But when Bennett's dad Mark uses the cap, the fragile agreement between Earth and the Intergalactic Alliance is jeopardized. |
| 2 | 10 | Old Bennett must intervene when both Young Bennett and Snodgrass discover the entrance to the secret elevator. |
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