 | 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. |
Gargoyles
- Toon Disney
- Genre: Kids' Animation
Common Sense Media says
Dark, Gothic action cartoon is OK for tweens.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this complex, character-heavy cartoon is about Gothic stone gargoyles that spring to life at night. It's fairly dark in nature: Hand-to-hand combat happens frequently, and the gargoyles are quite fierce looking and might scare some kids. That said, most episodes are centered around themes of civic duty, honor, and friendship.
What's the story?
Compared to Disney's many cartoons spun off from feature-length films, GARGOYLES stands out as a strong original series. Set in Manhattan, the show follows a group of gargoyles known as the Manhattan Clan as they patrol the skies of New York City, defending it from crime and corruption. Every night, the main characters -- Goliath (voiced by Keith David), Hudson (Ed Asner), Brooklyn (Jeff Bennett), and Bronx (Frank Welker) -- change from gothic statues into real live gargoyles. Partnered with NYPD cops Eliza Maza (Salli Richardson) and Matt Bluestone (Thomas F. Wilson), the Manhattan Clan helps protect NYC from the evil plans of billionaire David Xanatos (Jonathan Frakes) and enemy gargoyle clans.
Is it any good?
Gargoyles will appeal to tweens and up but may prove too scary for the younger set. That said, most of the show's violence is of the hand-to-hand combat variety seen in most superhero programs. Characters punch, kick, and throw each other off of buildings, but they don't use very many weapons.
Gargoyles is very well-written, with likable characters. The storylines are interesting and involve many mythical and historical references, including Anglo and Scots mythology and even some Shakespeare references (never a bad thing). Violence plays a part in every episode, but it's not graphic or over the top. Kids who are old enough to watch Gargoyles will very likely enjoy it.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the gargoyles' efforts to maintain their close-knit clan. The relationships found within the gargoyle group are based on honor, honesty, and dedication; families can compare and contrast themes found in their own families and friendships. Why is it important to be honest to the people you care about? Have you ever been disappointed or hurt by a friend? How did you feel? What's the best way to react in that kind of situation?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Teen, 13 years old
November 3, 2010
AGE
OMFG this is the best show ever!
I want Disney to bring it back and bring back ToonDisney!!
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
one of the best animated cartoons that disney had
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Teen, 13 years old
June 18, 2010
AGE
Suprisingly good show
I never watched this when it came on Toon Disney but one day I saw it on Youtube. I like the complex tone of it. It might be scary for some younger viewers and too complex. There's lots of violence (including hand-to-hand combat) and even blood in one episode. Some mild romance. One use of "Hell" in one episode, but it's used correctly. Better for older kids.
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Kid, 12 years old
April 12, 2011
AGE
great for everyone who love quality animation
I love this show! this show is old but its soo good, the drawings are so awesome, and Goliath is just so cool. its got lots of violence but nobody seriously hurt ever, my favourite thing about this show is how well drawn it is, its like every episode is work of art
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Adult
August 14, 2009
AGE
My absolute favorite TV show, and one of Disney's best shows ever. This was before Disney channel turned into garbage.
This was probably Disney's most entertaining and edgy show they ever produced, and yet it has some of the best character development and storyline that I've seen in my entire life. Disney makes plenty of references to their older movies (The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, etc..) in this, which I found very funny and entertaining as well. You'll also find very familiar voices in here that you might hear in places like Spongebob and other cartoons (the actor that plays as Patrick also voices as one of the main gargoyles). Battles, usually with guns or explosives or futuristic weaponry, happen in just about every episode. Very little blood, and only in a few episodes (one of the Gargoyles grabs a sword, and blood trickles down his hand for a moment). Romance is a big theme in the show, but it's one of the things that makes it so much better. This was the good stuff before Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers, and God-knows-what else talentless-cash-milking scams Disney filled their channel with after the 1990's. The characters developed amazingly well, and they made actually care about what was going to happen to them in future episodes (I in particular fell in love with the red skinned and white-haired Brooklyn, who was always trying his best to win over a female, and saved quite a few, but yet, they would all end up already with someone else, and poor Brooky was left in misery, but always determined). All in all, this is a show you don't want to miss out if you have a kid about 10 or so and older.
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Adult
October 23, 2009
AGE
Character-Driven Disney Cartoon? What?
What a fantastic show. Don't be fooled by its Disney origins; Gargoyles is not a show for young children. The closest possible comparison would be to "Batman: The Animated Series," which shares Gargoyles' dark, serious tone and respect for its audience. Also like BTAS, the Gargoyles universe operates on a slightly grayer morality scale than most children's programming. The heroes always do the right thing in the end, but almost all of the villains are portrayed sympathetically, as flawed people rather than absolute evil. In fact, several of the villains care more about defeating each other than defeating the heroes, giving them yet more dimension. The show is full of mythological and literary references, and it doesn't go out of its way to explain every reference, expecting that people will be able to follow along. The voice acting is also excellent, and fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation will be especially thrilled, as a good chunks of the VAs are alumni of that show. All in all, this is unarguably one of the finest television series Disney has ever produced, and a refreshing antidote to shows that rely on bathroom humor and pop culture references to hold kids' attention.
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Teen, 14 years old
June 7, 2012
AGE
Fantastic, but only for the appropriate ages
An interesting, well thought out series based on an intriguing mythology, this series is more for mature teens than anyone else. Most of the lines and story could fly over younger viewers heads, and the violence is somewhat intense. Not overly graphic, but intense. Since the characters are gargoyles, they may frighten younger children. A good show for ten and up, better for high-schoolers because of the rich mythology.
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, adventures, friendship |
| TV rating: | TV-Y7-FV |
| Network: | Toon Disney |
| Cast: | Jeff Bennett, Keith David, Salli Richardson-Whitfield |
| Genre: | Kids' Animation |
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