Its part mockumentary, part satire, and a ton of laughs!  The Canadian series The Yard is now showing for free on Hulu and there are a million reasons why you should watch. The Yard is broken up as children operating inside several clique. Each group functions as a family looking out for one another while ensuring loyalty, respect, and power on the schoolyard.  Just like Goodfellas, where the mafia used guns and drugs, these guys are running a black market on hip trading cards and chasing girls. Take a look at the promo trailer for the series: The series is produced in the mockumentary style.  An un-seen documentarian (voiced by producer Paul Gross) records the students’ interactions and behavior during recess.  The real world scenarios are played out by the two top opposing schoolyard gangs, with follow up interviews with the kids. The main protagonist of the series is 12 year old Nick and the members of his crew: his younger brother J.J. who functions as the brains of the group, his friend Johnny who is the right hand man, a six year old sidekick Adam, and Suzi a big girl with muscle. Nick’s group humorously fights for power on the playground with stories and interactions that mock real world situations we face everyday.  Just like countries fight for global power with politics, these kids are fighting for playground power from bully Frankie and his henchmen. The acting by the kids is top notch.  You could easily see Ray Liotta or Robert DeNiro portraying these characters when they were that age.  The writing, camera work, and production values are absolutely top notch and of higher quality than many shows currently airing on American television networks. Frankie’s gang of bullies includes: “Pork Chop,” his brother Mickey,...

When I was about 12, some kids in my neighborhood beat me up a little.  I’d been taking the same route to and from school for three years–subway, bus, walking.  I’d gotten used to seeing the same faces every day, a comforting routine.  These kids were new faces.  And they beat me up a little. I remember seeing them on the other side of the street as we waited for the light to turn.  There were six of them, pushing each other, horsing around. I saw them see me. Their heads moved closer together, they pointed at me.  My heart started beating a little faster.  Despite the fact that my neighborhood wasn’t the greatest, I’d never had trouble before.  This looked like trouble.  I could have turned around or crossed the other way.  But then the kids would know I was scared and would either pursue or, maybe worse, make fun of me.  Besides, this was my neighborhood and I had just as much right to cross the street as they did. So when the light changed, I crossed, moving towards them with as elaborately casual a gait as I could muster. When we got within hailing distance of each other, I made eye contact with one of the kids and gave a little head nod.  “What’s u–” A fist slammed into my stomach and I lost my air.  Someone pushed me back.  An open palm smacked the side of my head.  A flurry of punches hit my back and chest.  The kids laughed, called me a little girl, jostled me back towards the sidewalk. Then, just as quickly, it was over.  A trickle of blood ran from my nose.  I had the urge to run after the guys and unload a six pack...