Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Quirky 'toon serves up silly fun and potty humor.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 23 parent reviews
Based on 64 kid reviews
Kids say that this animated series is a mix of silly humor and occasional adult jokes, which some find inappropriate for younger viewers. While many appreciate its creativity and comedic elements, others criticize it for its crude humor and lack of educational value, making it suitable mostly for pre-teens and older.
- funny humor
- inappropriate content
- creative style
- mixed reviews
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
CHOWDER follows the misadventures of a young chef's apprentice whose enthusiasm for his work can't overcome his obvious ineptitude for the job. A resident of the colorful and bizarre city of Marzipan, Chowder (voiced by Nicky Jones) is living out his dream, working under the watchful eye of master chef Mung Daal (Dwight Schultz) at his bustling catering company. It's Chowder's excitement that stands in the way of culinary success; he tends to get ahead of himself -- and Mung's instructions -- and often ends up cooking up more trouble than food. From accidentally poisoning a popular dish to leading himself and Mung into unfamiliar territory on a delivery run, there's no shortage of misadventure when young Chowder is around.
Is It Any Good?
While Chowder offers plenty of tween-friendly silliness in its fantastical setting, outlandish characters, and surreal scenarios, it's clear that it aims strictly to entertain, not educate. Kids might not notice that there's little of substance here, but parents certainly will. The characters are shallow, the situations are unlikely, and there's impossibly little consequence to Chowder's constantly sub-par job performance. Plus, one young female character has an obsessive crush, and there's occasionally icky potty humor (body odor, vomiting, and the like).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance of doing a job well. Kids: What do you think of Chowder's performance in the kitchen? What often gets in the way of his doing a good job?
How does Chowder's mentor react when things get messed up? Does his reaction seem realistic?
Do any of the characters in this series act responsibly? Who are some of the most reliable people in your life? How does it feel to be able to rely on them?
TV Details
- Premiere date : November 2, 2007
- Cast : Dwight Schultz , John DiMaggio , Nicky Jones
- Network : Cartoon Network
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Friendship
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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