The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy (Cartoon Network)

common sense media says

Scary, cynical, gross, and not meant for kids.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this show isn't really appropriate for younger kids, even though it might be popular with the 7 and up set. Some moments are truly scary and disgusting -- and too much for a young child to handle. Some ghoulish images, especially of the Grim Reaper himself, are visually scary. His body is a skeleton that goes to pieces at times and then reconstructs. Also, he carries a scythe and threatens to put people to rest. On the other hand, those old enough to have a good sense of self might enjoy this program. It's clever, bizarre, and funny. It has the appeal that Ren and Stimpy held for college kids, paired with a dark element that tweens and teens might enjoy.

Positive messages: Anything goes when the Grim Reaper is your best friend.
Violence & scariness: Some ghoulish images, especially of the Grim Reaper himself, are visually scary. His body is a skeleton that goes to pieces at times and then reconstructs. Also, he carries a scythe and threatens to put people to rest.
Sexy stuff: Not applicable.
Language: Lots of potty humor.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about whether the show is meant to be scary or not. Why would a show aimed at kids include the Grim Reaper as a character? Does he scare you, or do you find him funny? Why?

What's the story?

What's the story?
It's you and me against the world," says Mandy the anti-heroine of THE GRIM ADVENTURES OF BILLY AND MANDY. "We attack at dawn." Mandy (Grey DeLisle) is a character who never smiles, is ridiculed by the popular kids in her class, and who plays poker with the Grim Reaper (Greg Eagles), her best friend. She's unwittingly paired with her dimwit brother Billy (Richard Steven Horvitz), who thinks that shampoo and dog poo are the same thing.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Goofy punchlines, obscure cultural references, and weird plotlines are what make this show tick. Parents will want to watch an episode or two to be certain that this program is OK for their kids. This brand of absurd humor certainly isn't for everyone, so double-check to make sure it's on target with your family's viewing parameters.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-Y7
Network: Cartoon Network
Cast: Greg Eagles, Grey DeLisle, Richard Steven Horvitz
Genre: Kids' Animation
Where to watch: Cartoon Network

This review was written by Joly Herman
 
 

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What parents & educators say

9

Most useful reviews by all members

ThreeDaysGrace ...
teen, 15 years old
 
Love it! Who says that six year olds can't watch it? Apparently, Common Sense Media does.
Wha-... what... what the h***? Not meant for kids, what are you THINKING? You people need to take your children out of the plastic bubble that you've built around them and let them take a look at the real world. You're not going to be able to protect them forever. How is this show SCARY? Is some five year old writing this review? What are you thinking? Common Sense Media just makes me angrier and angier every day... This is like, the best cartoon out there (well, other than Robot Chicken, but Robot Chicken isn't REALLY a cartoon.)

trickster123
kid, 12 years old
 
ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS EVER
billy and mandy are bad role models,but thats the point of the humor. its a kick-butt show its voilent(with vampires,ghosts,monsters etc.) but the theme song may look like its over-the-top voilent but its not as voilent as it looks.ive watched this show since i was six language is only mild like stupid,dumb etc.its a little strange sometimes. but its SUPER MEGA JACKPOT FUNNY.

Mafatu32
educator
 
This show may be a crazy and spooky, but it's a show that will pull you in and make you laugh. Have you ever heard of a more twisted group then a angry nose-less girl, a dimwitted boy, and the grim reaper? Not an image people usually see.

The Fooshster
teen, 14 years old
 
Best show on CN
I love this show. Sure, Mandy and Grim aren't the nicest characters, and Billy IS a total idiot. But that's what gives this show its character. The info given on Common Sense Media is most likely with ages 8 and under in mind. It's really not that terrible, a few potty jokes here and there but otherwise it's a REALLY GREAT show! :D

cartoonreview
parent of 3 year old
 
Show should be taken off the air
This "cartoon for kids" which is on at the times kids are home from school, is disturbing and unsettling. I was even trying to make sense of the violent actions and crude gestures the characters were doing. Kids the ages 2, 3, 5, were watching it while I was and they were zoned in on the show, who knows what they interpreted from the characters.

rose56967
kid, 12 years old
 
Grim is not scary
I love this show, it's really funny.

starwars reviewer
kid, 13 years old
 
Have you taken leave of your senses? This was a great series!
We all know where shows are going nowadays. Take Disney as an example. They try to have quantity instead of quality! Back in the days where quality mattered, this was one of the greatest shows on the air. It's fourth wall humor and brilliant animation made it #1. There were lessons I learned from this show when I was little, but I came here and all the parents were saying that there were no lessons... Well, that really makes me mad! People critisize this show, but this is one from a sipler era, where oboxious shows like Suite Life on Deck and Iron Weasel did not exist.

GrimAdventures
kid, 2 years old
 
Overly-Sensitve
I think that many of the adults on this site are being positivley ridiculous.You grew up with thinks like Loony Tunes and all that crap yet you slam Billy and Mandy? It is actually no different to what you already know.People say I am exactlly like Mandy,and no it is not from "influence" of the show either,I was like it anyway.The cartoon style isn't scary you may say that Grim is scary in his own right,well that is garbage.Most kids can freaking draw him,and if they are scared of it then they must be sensitive.Kids need to know about this stuff some day,so let them get it from a cartoon instead of some pinhead at the park.And yeah I am only 11,but whoose to say that im not more mature then the majority of you on here?

heymonday101
teen, 15 years old
 
AMAZING!
Oh my gosh!!!!! This is the best show ever(it's tied with Foster's) I really love this show, even though it's barely on. :-()-;-()-:

barbadosbarbie
parent of 9 year old
 
Maybe for tweens and early teenagers but not for kids
This show is just weird. My 7 year old likes it but I am sitting here listening to it as I type this, and I just think it's creepy and a little off for kids that age. I would like her to stop watching it, or at least watch it a little less but she won't have that because it's her favorite show! I think this show is more appropriate for Adult Swim instead of as a kids show.

 
Shouldn't, but I like this show
I really should not let my 6 and 3 year old boys watch this show. It does have bad language that my son has picked up. But it is on so many times during the day. And I can't help it, I think it is pretty funny in a sick sort of way. It is very clever.

 
Parents are worthless and so are you.
I think that sums up the message of this show. I have seen many episodes and they are often well-written and entertaining, but the message and themes are simply not what I want engrained in my 6 year old's mind especially when he is going to be 16 one day and a big guy.

 
NOT FOR LITTLE KIDS
This show is pretty funny, but is WAY too disturbing for little kids. Violence: off: there is a scene where cannibalism is implied. Charaters are killed, but comicly. To sick for kids under 8. Social Behavior: off: Mandy is a compleate s--t headed b--ch who only enjoys torchuring billy, grim, and everyone else. You should watch it with your kids.

TUmom
adult
 
Terrible!
I think this show is awful. The constant "shut up" and "you're stupid" and the grim reeper as a babysitter? I think this show should be taken off the air. It isn't funny or cute or interesting. It is just a mean little girl walking around with a skeleton. I will never let my son watch it.

TheLordM
teen, 15 years old
 
Another Mindless Show
When I was younger, at the stage when I would watch any show with out even caring about the quality, I watched this show without any problems. Yet as I grew older, my like for the show diminished, and I started to realize how awful this show really was. This show has a mindless sense of humor, is completley crude, and fails to make me laugh or entertain me. If you're concerned that your kids will be influenced by this show, skip it. This show is crude, violent, and...... just disgusting,

Meerdog
teen, 14 years old
 
Disgusting, awful, grotesk...
This show is absolutely revolting. CN has turned into a piece of unsavory, crude, crass, and violent junk. DO not let your kids watch this show-- or CN for that matter-- EVER! I am absolutely disgusted that some parents have compared this stupid show to Looney Tunes. Looney Tunes is my favorite cartoon of all time, and to have this dark, morbid, depressing, and all-around monstrously grotesk show compared to it is just rediculous. Yeah, characters get anvils and pianos dropped on their heads. So what? In Billy & Mandy, there's implied cannibalism, death threats, explosions, and constant bullying. Looney Tunes is totally clean! I am horryfied at what cartoons have turned into. The jokes in LT were actually FUNNY. They did NOT use potty humor. There WERE NOT evil little girls who gave death threats. Billy & Mandy is a horrble show and I beg you to not let your kids watch it--you should block CN on your TV if you know what's good for you.

cagseg
adult
 
Absolutely Awful
This show has terrible themes and ideas for children. A grim reaper with no good in him, a depressed and depressing girl and a boy that gives a bad name to mentally challenged. Just the fact that the show centers around death is enough to make it forbidden in my house. It wasn't even that funny.

 
an ok show
This show is ok but it is about an idiot who gets made fun of and an evil girl who always gets her way

 
Another CN bomb
The reviewer who claims that the cartoons we grew up with are just as violent is in denial of what's acceptable. I note that this reviewer references bugs bunny and road runner? They're animals. And to infer that Bugs was transsexual because he dressed up like a girl and "married" Elmer Fudd? Give me a break. The cartoons of today are characters that don't look like anything recognizable in this world and the storylines make no common sense. At least we knew that Bugs Bunny was "marrying" Elmer to trick him and his one-liners were actually funny. Today's cartoons rely on potty humor, burping, snot and farts to make the kids laugh--much like Disney today...What a shame.

homegirl13
teen, 15 years old
 
gross and dumb

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About our rating system
ON: Content is 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