Good Show
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
(Rated TV-PG, Children, cartoons, & animation, Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Ian Ziering, Lisa Loeb, Where to watch: Kabillion, DVD, Online)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Spidey grows up in 'toon best for older kids+.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 9 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Spider-Man: The New Animated Series was written by Sierra Filucci
Parents need to know that Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man) is college-aged in this animated series spun off of the hit big-screen movie. He dates, kisses, and even allows a woman to sleep over at his apartment (speaking of which, most of the female characters have exaggerated figures, often with exposed flesh or generous bosoms). Spidey's battle against evil results in lots of cartoon violence, including villains wielding gigantic guns and regular near-death experiences, though all of the scenes are bloodless. Some scenes show Peter and his friends drinking cocktails.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about violence. What kind of violence is featured in this show? What would the effects of that kind of violence be if it weren't a cartoon? Kids: Does watching fighting in a cartoon ever make you feel more energetic or hyper? What do you think that means? Families can also compare the show to the Tobey Maguire movies. Which do you like better? Why?
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More on Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
What’s the Story?
Peter Parker (voiced by Neil Patrick Harris) moves into the digital age in SPIDER-MAN: THE NEW ANIMATED SERIES. Instead of taking photos for a newspaper, he shoots video for a TV station. And instead of being carefully drawn in pen and ink, he and his friends are brightly (if flatly) rendered in CGI. But Peter hasn't changed too much. He still pines for Mary Jane (Lisa Loeb), and, though he's a bit hipper than in the old days, he still has his shy, self-deprecating appeal. Here, Peter is both attending college and fighting for those in need as his superhero alter ego. He manages to get into all sorts of dangerous predicaments, but he uses his Spidey-sense to stay ahead of his enemies. Whether investigating an apparent attack on the city's mayor by sexy villain Silver Sable or a kidnapping by a group of high-tech terrorists, Spider-Man always manages to win his battles.
Is It Any Good?
The show's half-hour episodes don't delve too deeply into Peter's darker side, and most references to his family and his past are left out. What's left is a flashy superhero cartoon interested mostly in terrific battles and unrequited love.
Fighting evil makes for some tense situations, and Spider-Man is packed with last-minute saves and death-defying leaps. These, mixed with sexy villains with big guns, make the show a better pick for older tweens. Plus, Peter isn't in high school anymore, so kissing and even co-ed sleepovers happen every once in a while. His best friend Harry (Ian Ziering) tosses out the occasional sexual innuendo, and Mary Jane has developed into a quite a flirt.
Our Members Say
See all 3 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
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I rate this title off for age 10 and give it
No for young kids
I put this on for my kids (Ages 6 and 4) who really like spiderman. I sat down to watch it with them. The opening scene was a very busty woman in lycra, who made a comment about another woman's breasts. A couple of minutes later, Spiderman says "Damn it". I turned to show off at that point. If that is what is contained in the first 5 minutes, I don't care to see the rest.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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