Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Psst! Spoofy British spy 'toon is fun for tweens.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
THE SECRET SHOW chronicles the unyielding battle between a covert agency called U.Z.Z. (the good guys) and ultra-secret T.H.E.M. (The Horrible Evil Menace), a group striving to -- what else? -- take over the world. U.Z.Z. special agents Victor Volt (voiced by Alan Marriott) and Anita Knight (Kate Harbour) are the dauntless hero and heroine who manage time and again to outsmart the sly bad guys. Under the direction of their agency boss and his techie sidekick, Victor and Anita rely on standard spy-issue resourcefulness, cool-headed adaptability, and the occasional touch of luck to battle the world's ever-changing threats. Wherever there are killer toothbrushes, dance-prompting dream controllers, mysterious wedgie attacks on public figures, and countries floating into outer space, Victor and Anita can be found fighting for the safety -- and sanity -- of humanity.
Is It Any Good?
Quirky field agents, ingenious (if not exactly evil) villains, ubiquitous black-suited security officials, and storylines with enough twists and turns to make a figure skater dizzy -- they're the stuff that the most memorable spy stories are made of. Fortunately for tweens, they're also what gives The Secret Show (a British import) its unique appeal.
Adventure-seeking tweens will find a lot to like in this comical cartoon, which is full of multi-tiered secrecy, offbeat characters, and highly unlikely scenarios. Parents who can see past the show's goofiness and occasional potty humor might also enjoy its clever wit and refreshing, retro-styled animation -- as well as the great spoofs on other spy conventions (convoluted plots, agents who always seem to be in the right place at the right time and manage to escape anything that comes their way, and so on).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about government agents and agencies. What are their functions/jobs? Why is it important to keep some of those jobs secret? Do any parts of this show seem at all believable? Should they, or is the purpose just to be silly? How does the animation style affect tweens' impression of the show? Would another style be better suited to it? Why or why not? How do you think a live-action version of this show might be different?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 16, 2006
- Cast : Alan Marriott , Kate Harbour , Rob Rackstraw
- Network : Nickelodeon
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 8, 2025
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