Biker Mice from Mars - TV-Y7-FV

Irreverent action 'toon has some scary elements.

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details

TV Rating: TV-Y7-FV
Network: Fox
Cast: Rob Paulsen, Ian Ziering, Dorian Harewood
Genre: Children, Cartoons, & Animation
>Available On: DVD

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that despite this show's silly title and a certain sense of irreverence, it's not a spoof. The titular Martian mice are involved in a violent battle for the one thing that will save their planet, and every episode includes lots of hand-to-hand and ray/laser-gun combat. Thanks to glowing red eyes and dripping werewolf teeth on heroes and villains alike, it's all just a little bit scarier than what kids will see in adventure shows like Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Families can talk about what makes this show different from other cartoons. Why do you think the people who make the show want it to stand out from other series? Kids: Do you find certain parts of the show funny (the good guys' wisecracks, the sound effects that accompany things like bad guys crashing on the ground)? Does that make any of the action less scary?

Message
Violence
Sex
Language

Message

Social Behavior:

Violence, not diplomacy, is the only possible solution to the differences between the show's two main groups.

Consumerism:

Tie-in action figures and video games are available.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

The biker mice are battling the evil Catatonians. All are strong and fight with their fists and weapons (including space/ray gun-style options). The show's animated action-adventure violence is a step up in terms of scariness from older/more classic 'toons: Eyes glow red, werewolf teeth drip, muscles bulge, etc.

Sex

Flirtatious relationships and the suggestion of romantic involvement for some characters.

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by KJ Dell'Antonia

BIKER MICE FROM MARS follows the adventures of a group of rodent Martian refugees. When the series began in 1993, the main trio -- Throttle (voiced by Rob Paulsen), Modo (Dorian Harewood), and Vinnie (Ian Ziering) -- were working to prevent Earth from having all of its resources sucked away -- which is what happened to their home planet. A 2006 revival/continuation found the mice trying to save their own planet after it was rejuvenated via the Regenerator, a magical, resource-returning machine much desired by the mice's enemies, the Catatonians.

Is it any good?

Biker Mice attempts to be both funny and serious -- a la Iron Man -- and from the point of view of the average 9-year-old, it succeeds fairly well. (Though, from a parent's perspective, it's not as enjoyable as other shows in the genre.) Every episode offers the banter and quirky villainy we've all grown to expect from the action genre. The bad guys' ongoing attempts to get the Regenerator may be momentarily foiled in each episode -- which means the installments can be enjoyed singly -- but the story is clearly meant to be followed as a whole.