Postcards from Buster - TV-Y
TV Rating: TV-Y
Network: PBS Cast: Daniel Brochu
Genre: Children, Cartoons, & Animation
Available on: 
DVD
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that Buster, friend of Arthur from the series of the same name, has the chance to travel North America on his father's plane with a fictional Latin rock group called Los Viajeros. As a child of divorce, Buster is happy to spend time with his dad, who travels often. During his travels, Buster meets kids from all over North America, learning about their lives and their beliefs. Diversity is the name of the game, though the program can be rather male-centric.
Families can discuss the way that other people live their lives -- how does what kids see in this series reflect or differ from life in their own hometown? What do they take away from Buster's travels? Do they get any ideas of where they might want to travel?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Joly Herman
Arthur fans will be familiar with the cartoon cast of POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER -- but this series goes beyond the fictional world that the 'toons inhabit, interspersing live video footage of the people Buster meets as well.
Too bad the cartoon segments aren't as fascinating as those videos! But Buster's viewers will quickly get to know what a fascinating, diverse, and exciting world we live in -- Postcards from Buster crosses race, ethnic, religious, and class lines with the greatest of ease.
Sure, Buster isn't the most evolved character in the world -- he tends to obsess about junk food, and he can get frustrated rather easily. But he's also able to ask things like "what's a reservation?" to a Native American host without feeling self-conscious. The age group to which this show is targeted (4 to 8) will be at a curious, receptive stage for this type of cultural exploration.
Postcards from Buster earned some notoriety after it was singled out by the Department of Education for an episode featuring a girl in Vermont who proudly showed a photo of her mom and her female life partner. The discussion that this brief snapshot of real life incurred might not be a bad thing, though, because talking about people's choices is always a good conversation for families to have.
Ultimately, the tone set by Postcards from Buster is one of tolerance and diversity -- a timely reflection of the melting pot in which we live.
Kids and parents might also want to check out Maya and Miguel and Reading Rainbow.
Rate It!
| Content | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS | adults | kids | ||
Sexual Content |
 |
 |
||
Violence |
|
|
||
Language |
|
|
||
Message |
|
 |
||
Social BehaviorDiversity is a theme throughout Buster's sojourns. But the animated female characters (hello, Francine!) can be screechy, bossy, or boy-crazy. |
 |
 |
||
CommercialismBuster is privileged to have a cell phone, video camera, and laptop computer. Plus he flies on a private jet (which his father pilots). It's incidental, but important to the plot. |
|
|
||
Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco |
|
|
||
