Josie and the Pussycats

Review

Common Sense Media says

Classic 'toon's tunes are fun, but it feels awfully dated.
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 some of the villains and monsters in this classic 1970s cartoon series could scare sensitive kids, but in general, the show is packed with positive messages about teamwork and pulling together. The bad guys are always obvious, and they always get what's coming to them in the end.

  • Educational value1
    Kids learn that working together pays off and that it doesn't pay off to be nasty.
  • Positive messages3
    Working together is the key to stopping villains and saving the world. Negative actions always beget negative consequences.
  • Positive role models3
    Although there's a little bit of stereotyping (Melody, the blonde, for example, is painfully ditsy), Valerie is the smartest of the bunch and was the first African-American female character to appear as a regular on a Saturday morning cartoon. Alexandra is an obvious villain, but her scheming never pays off.
  • Violence & scariness2
    In each episode, the band crosses paths with a new villain who's created a destructive creature or device. Some of them can look a little scary, but the violence is suggested rather than substantive.
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What's the story?

Josie (voiced by Janet Waldo), Valerie (Barbara Pariot), and Melody (Jackie Joseph) are members of the all-girl rock act JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS, a band known for its trademark costumes (long tails, ears for hats, etc.) and groovy tunes. But lately -- between tour stops with their roadie Alan (Jerry Dexter), manager Alexander (Casey Kasem), and Alexander's scheming sister, Alexandra (Sherry Alberoni) -- they've been rubbing elbows with dangerous villains bent on destroying the world. In each episode, the gang splits their time between rocking out and reeling in the bad guys.

Is it any good?

 

It's sad to say, but the dangerously catchy theme song is the best part about this classic slice of 1970s nostalgia -- which might succeed in thrilling parents and boring kids at the same time with its obviously dated material and random plots that seem a little ridiculous.

Although it's clear that Hanna-Barbera was trying to make Josie and the Pussycats as good as its other Saturday-morning hit, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (for one thing, Alan's and Fred's ascots were eerily similar), a hip concept and leopard-print leotards don't quite get the job done. Maybe that's why it only lasted for 16 episodes?

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about stereotypes and how this show's female characters stack up against the ones in today's cartoons. Who are your favorite animated heroines, and why?

  • How well does the gang work together as a group? Does anyone tend to take the lead? Would they be as successful at thwarting bad guys if they didn't rely on teamwork?

  • Parents: What did you think of this series when you were a kid? What do
    you think of it now? Kids: Do you like it, or do you think it's silly?

This review was written by Kari Croop

There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
This review was written by Kari Croop
Topics:friendship, music and sing-along
TV rating:TV-G
Network:Boomerang
Cast:Casey Kasem, Janet Waldo, Jerry Dexter
Genre:Kids' Animation
This review was written by Kari Croop
 

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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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