The Dukes

Review

Common Sense Media says

Stark reminder of just how uninspiring kids' TV once was.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this animated adaptation of the Dukes of Hazzard live-action series adheres to television standards typical of Saturday morning fare from the early '80s. There is little that would be considered objectionable for young viewers. Very young children may have a harder time following the show's plotting, which isn't complicated but usually involves some sort of criminal scheme that the Dukes must thwart.   

  • Educational value1
    The good guys always win and the bad guys always lose, usually as the result of some form of immoral or negative behavior, which reinforces positive traits.
  • Positive messages1
    The lead heroes work together as a team and demonstrate positive behavior.
  • Positive role models1
    The main characters demonstrate generally positive behavior, with the exception of a tendency toward reckless driving. 
  • Violence & scariness1
    The villains are mean and heartless to the heroes, but there is no violence to speak of, other than occasional broad animated violence played for comedic effect.
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What's the story?

Featuring the characters from the live-action TV series Dukes of Hazzard, this Saturday morning cartoon put the Dukes and their cousin Daisy (voiced by Catherine Bach) on a high-stakes race around the world against the despicable Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) and his crony Roscoe P. Coltrane (James Best). The Dukes want the prize money to save their family farm; Hogg wants the farm for himself. Hilarity attempts to ensue.

Is it any good?

 

There was a time in Hollywood when it made sense for Laverne and Shirley to enlist in the military and serve under a talking pig (!), for Fonzie and the Happy Days gang to travel through time (!!), and for the Duke boys to race around the world against Boss Hogg, Roscoe P. Coltrane, and an anthropomorphic dog. It was a frightening time.

Given that the actual Dukes of Hazzard series was never regarded as a high watermark for American popular culture, it's no surprise that this animated spinoff embodies some of the worst that 1980's childrens' entertainment has to offer. The animation itself is crude, the actors appear to be phoning in their performances, and the plotting is the kind of lazy Scooby Doo lite material that production studio Hanna Barbera built into a television empire.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about pop culture obsessions. This spinoff aired because the Dukes of Hazzard was a highly popular television series. What are some similar television series airing today that have passionate fans? Is it a good idea to become passionate about one show? Why or why not?

  • This show first aired in the 1980s. How was it different from shows you watch today? Do you think it was better or worse than today's shows?

This review was written by Matt Springer

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This review was written by Matt Springer
TV rating:NR
Network:CBS
Cast:Catherine Bach, John Schneider, Tom Wopat
Genre:Kids' Animation
This review was written by Matt Springer
 

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About our rating system
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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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