 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Atom Ant
- Boomerang
- Genre: Kids' Animation
Common Sense Media says
Mighty Mouse knock-off hasn't aged well.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this '60s cartoon doesn't just feature the eponymous ant, but another, secondary cartoon as well: the Hillbilly Bears. The ant-focused shorts offer fairly standard animated superhero violence, plus women in peril and (reflecting its original era) stereotypical minority villains. Any kid who watches cartoons has seen plenty of that. But Hillbilly Bears could be an unwelcome introduction to the practice of expecting an entire region -- or nation -- to conform to a certain stereotype.
What's the story?
ATOM ANT is a mid-'60s Hanna-Barbara cartoon about a superstrong, superfast flying ant. Sometimes he works at the behest of the police, stopping, say, gangs of picnic-stealing ants on motorcycles, and sometimes he fights bad guys on his own. The show's includes cartoon shorts featuring the adventures of the Hillbilly Bears, a sort of combination of the Beverly Hillbillies and the Flintstones.
Is it any good?
It's not exactly clear why he's "Atom" Ant; perhaps it's his superpowers making him the futuristic ideal of an ant. Older kids will laugh at his souped-up headquarters -- an anthill featuring a giant computer/telephone a la the Jetsons, along with a large collection of barbells -- but younger ones may well enjoy the flying and the spectacle of an ant lifting cars and the like.
As in Mighty Mouse -- and, really, all the superhero cartoons of the era -- female characters are invariably in peril and stereotypes like Latin lovers abound. While these generally go over the heads of young viewers, older kids will easily spot them for what they are. As for the Hillbilly Bears shorts, there's really very little humor beyond the stereotypes and the pratfalls, but at least it's short.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about Atom Ant and his determined ways -- in addition to being heroic, he's rather stubborn: He wants to triumph his way. Is that always a good thing, or are there other ways to get what he wants? Families can also discuss the Hillbilly Bears. Is it mocking stereotypes, or playing into them? How are today's cartoons different from this show? Do you think they've gotten better? Why?
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AGE
it's good!!!!
I see that show everyday,even in the computer,it's a good show,it was created by Hanna-Barbara in 1964.The second season came in the mid 1965's,when Secret Squirrel aired.at that time,everything was rated in cartoons TV-G,or TV-Y7-FV because shows has to much violence and make-believe things happening then.In the show Atom Ant the 23 minute shows always has in this order:Atom Ant,Precious Pup,and The Hillbilly Bears.
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AGE
I LOVE ATOM ANT.
I LOVE ATOM ANT. I LOVE PRECIOUS PUPP. I LOVE THE HILLBILLY BEARS.
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| Topics: | superheroes |
| TV rating: | TV-Y7 |
| Network: | Boomerang |
| Cast: | Don Messick, Howard Morris |
| Genre: | Kids' Animation |
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