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Rugrats

(Rated TV-Y, Children, cartoons, & animation, Starring Nancy Cartwright, Elizabeth Daily, Cheryl Chase, Where to watch: Nickelodeon, DVD, Online)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 4, age appropriate for kids over 6; suggested age 6.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Babies go adventuring in this Nick favorite.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 6 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    While the characters almost always mean well, Angelica's behavior is far from ideal. She lies, calls names, and is generally manipulative. And there's a fair amount of complaining from the whole crew. Episodes have explored various cultural traditions. Jokes are based on the babies' unique interpretation of words and the world, which bring to light some of life's absurdities. Some racial diversity; lots of age diversity.
  • Violence & scariness:

    Occasional yelling. The babies get into scary situations that are often exaggerated.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Some name calling from Angelica, such as "You dumb babies."
  • Consumerism:

    Responsible for a vast array of merchandising tie-ins, from clothes to DVDs and more. Some episodes satirically highlight characters' fixation on the dinosaur icon Reptar and Barbie-like doll Cynthia.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Rugrats

Parents need to know that one main character, Angelica -- who, like the rest of the gang, is a child, is mean, manipulative, and known for being a liar. Young viewers will need to be reminded that they shouldn't follow her example, no matter how funny they find her antics. The show can get a little loud and whiny at times, but, then again, the central characters are literally a bunch of babies.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the difference between finding humor in a cartoon and emulating it. Some antics are funny but not meant to be imitated. Who are your kids' favorite characters and why? Do kids think the characters' behavior is realistic, funny, or dangerous?

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Our Members Say

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See all 31 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title on for age 3 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    GREAT ANIMATED SHOW!!!

    This show is a little vilont at times but still i love it!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational

    the best nicktoon ever better then spongebob

    i like it cause its about kids and childhood and the what how kids use there imagnation to have fun even if angelica is a bully there are bullys that kids half to face and thats just a part of life

  3. I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 5.0

    Great cartoon for me when I was young; I highly recommend it to younger kids now~

    As far as little kids' shows go, this is the best. I obsessed over this show until I was 12; I loved the characters, their comical adventures, and where their misunderstandings of the things the adults said took them. My favorite episode will always be "okey-dokey Jones" since the babies were pretending to be Indiana Jones, another obsession of mine at the time. I like both the old and newer episodes, they all contain cute fun. It's a great show for little kids for entertainment and even a little learning. Angelica may be a horrible role model, but the bad things always happen to her in the end, showing kids you can't get away with that sort of stuff. Contrary to Rugrats, All Grown Up was a stupid "sequel". (it shows the babies when they're all grown up, hence the title) It showed my favorite little babies grown into character not even recognizable to me. They acted like "cool teens" and did stupid things that were not comedic at all. I know THAT show didn't last very long at all. (I still regret them ever making it in the first place though) So the Rugrats were the best, with many great episodes (a few dull ones of course) and lovable characters. Wonderful kids show.

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Tennessee
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 3.0

    The quality of this show has really gone down with time.

    I feel like they've redone a lot of the things I remember being on the show ten years ago. That's just lazy writing.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Minnesota
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    Wonderful!

    Rugrats is wonderful Nick has to show this nicktoons more often if they want to improve their network. It would sure score higher ratings and the by month the amount of veiwers are going to soar above every network. I love those little babies. they are just so bad, funny, oblivious, and cute. It has been runing for at over a decade approximatley about 13 years. That is the longest series I have ever heard of. It also has 172 episodes Rugratsis like one of Nickelodeons best series that they ever tought of and originally produced in the studio

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