Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this animated series is a kid-friendly alternative to the original Tom and Jerry. Overall, it's pretty tame, but watch out for occasional loose language and minor violence (cat-and-mouse chases, hero-villain face offs, etc.).
Families can talk about how to make friends, rather than foes. What are the alternatives to fighting with someone? How can people work through their differences? What should you do if someone tries to start a fight with you?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Deirdre Sheppard
TOM AND JERRY KIDS SHOW, a 1990s spin-off of the original MGM Tom and Jerry series, explores the earlier life and antics of the popular cat-and-mouse duo. With a few added characters -- such as father-son dog duo Droopy and Dripple -- this offshoot provides a calmer approach to the mad chases everyone remembers from the first series. Although Tom and Jerry Kids Show isn't educational in the slightest, it's extremely entertaining, and kids in the K-3 age bracket will probably enjoy it.
The way violence comes into play is the most significant difference between this incarnation and the original series. In one segment of Tom and Jerry Kids Show, for example, Tom and Jerry battle each other a la The Three Musketeers. At the end of the segment, Jerry accidentally blows up a castle, which ultimately determines Tom's loss in the battle. Even though it's violent, the mishap is presented as an accident, with no intentional use of weapons -- whereas in the original series, either Tom or Jerry would use weapons to commit a similar act on purpose.
Droopy and Dripple's space-age segments are a little more questionable. One episode features the villain McWolf using a gun to rob a cosmic convenience store for lottery tickets. Droopy and Dripple then use their own futuristic weapons on their enemy, ultimately shooting McWolf with a futuristic space gun that sends him to land face first on the moon, leaving nothing but a bloody red spot.
Subtle, subversive jokes occasionally pop up, too. One episode features a boxing pig who fights in a stadium called "Punch Drunk Arena." And language is also a slight issue, with words such as "bozo" slipping into the dialogue. But these aspects of the show are fleeting, and older viewers will probably be the only ones who notice them.
Ultimately, Tom and Jerry make extremely cute kids, with little Tom sporting a baseball cap and Jerry sporting a bow tie and more hair on his head. Even though there's minor violence and innuendo, it's extremely slight compared to the original series.
Fans of Tom and Jerry Kids Show might also enjoy Muppet Babies or Baby Looney Tunes.
Rate It!
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ViolenceAll characters use weapons such as space guns and swords. |
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LanguageWords like "bozo" pop up in dialogue. |
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Social BehaviorLots of fighting betwen characters, but most of it is played for cartoon humor. |
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