Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this show deals with aliens, the supernatural, and other strange, unexplained phenomena that young viewers may have questions about (and some may even be scared of). But the creepy subject matter is usually surrounded with enough silliness that it's not disturbing. The series is mostly action and goofy fun, with very little substance and no serious messages or moral lessons.
Families can talk about the mystery in each episode and what kind of creature or phenomenon was involved. How did Martin and Diana handle the situation? Do you think this kind of situation could happen in real life? How would you handle it, assuming you didn't have any special powers, weapons, or gadgets? Another discussion topic could be Martin's immature behavior at school versus his behavior on assignment. What do you think of his boyish pranks? Why does Diana get so frustrated with him? How does his irresponsible behavior compare with the way he handles himself on missions?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Larisa Wiseman
In Nicktoons' animated adventure series MARTIN MYSTERY, Martin (voiced by Samuel Vincent) and his stepsister Diana (Kelly Sheridan) are 16-year-olds who work for a secret organization called The Center, which protects Earth's inhabitants from extraterrestrial and supernatural threats. The pair is often called away from their classroom at a moment's notice for their next assignment, which might have them investigating sightings of giant prehistoric insects, an evil entity released from a magic box, or a variety of strange creatures that leave trails of green or purple slime (much to Martin's delight).
Once they reach The Center -- usually through some sort of portal -- and receive their assignment from stern leader M.O.M., Martin and Diana are transported to the site of the current mystery. Aiding them in their missions are Java, a 200,000-year-old caveman who's lost in time and none too bright, but who provides much-need muscle to fight tough adversaries; and M.O.M.'s personal secretary, Billy, a tiny green alien who provides valuable information about the case at hand. For extra protection and defense, a device Martin wears on his wrist can summon an array of high-tech gadgets to help the group out of sticky situations.
The series' subject matter and Martin's goofy, immature character immediately call to mind Scooby-Doo and its lovable doofus, Shaggy. But Martin is a bit gutsier than Shaggy and, unfortunately, is more irritating than lovable at times, especially when he's playing pranks (a favorite pastime). Although Martin Mystery pales a bit in comparison to the classic Scooby as far as characterization goes -- Martin's characters aren't nearly as well-defined or endearing -- the show is still reasonably entertaining with its silly humor and creepy mysteries.
Speaking of those creepy mysteries, they almost rival the imaginative, weird, out-of-this-world storylines you'd find on The X-Files -- but much less disturbing and with a little magic and time travel thrown into the mix. Martin and Diana's working relationship even resembles that of Files' detective duo Mulder and Scully -- Martin is the impulsive, reckless one, and Diana's the sensible, practical one who's constantly annoyed with his antics -- which makes for amusing dynamics.
Martin Mystery also includes elements of anime (it's loosely based on an Italian comic book series); Martin and Diana's facial features become distorted when they have strong emotions, and brief outtakes show diminutive versions of their characters expressing their inner emotions. It's a style that definitely keeps viewers on their toes, even if it's a bit distracting and distances you from the action.
There's no deep moral message in Martin Mystery, just fast-paced adventure and mildly scary fun combined with everyday, lightweight issues that high schoolers face -- a mix that will no doubt appeal to tweens and teens. And for kids who, like Martin, are intrigued by green or purple goop, well, there's plenty of that to go around.
Kids who enjoy this show may also like Mystery Hunters, a news magazine take on similar subject matter, and Kappa Mikey, which combines anime, goofy humor, and fast-paced superhero action. And for a lighter, sillier take on creepy mysteries, Scooby-Doo never fails to entertain.
Rate It!
| Content | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS | adults | kids | ||
Sexual Content |
 |
|
|
|
ViolenceFantasy cartoon violence; scary creatures and supernatural entities attack humans. |
 |
|
|
|
Language |
|
|
|
|
Message |
|
 |
|
|
Social BehaviorThe group works together to complete missions; Martin is known for pulling immature pranks at school. |
 |
 |
|
|
Commercialism |
|
 |
|
|
Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco |
|
|
|
|
