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The Life and Times of Juniper Lee (Cartoon Network)

common sense media says

Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the tween set.

parents & educators say
See all 15 reviews | Review it

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this animated series has its share of cartoon violence, but only the bad monsters get beaten up. It's a fun and age-appropriate show with some very positive features: a girl superhero and a refreshing lack of racial stereotypes.

Educational value: Not applicable.
Positive messages: While the show is more about providing entertaining action than pushing positive messages, it does promote the idea of a strong female heroine and clearly distinguishes between "good" and "bad."
Positive role models: Juniper is a strong, resourceful superheroine. The show avoids stereotyping, a trap that it easily could have fallen into.
Violence & scariness: Some cartoon violence (but no blood).
Sexy stuff: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on The Life and Times of Juniper Lee

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about gender roles and stereotypes -- why aren't there more TV heroines like Juniper?
  • Kids: What powers would you want if you were a superhero?

What's the story?

What's the story?
The creators of THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUNIPER LEE have clearly watched their Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The setup is nearly identical, featuring a young girl with mysterious powers and a sharp tongue that enable her to fight the demons and monsters that congregate in otherwise peaceful Orchid Bay City (which bears a strong resemblance to San Francisco). One twist: Juniper is the only one (with the exception of her younger brother) who can see the monsters, so she spends a lot of time apparently talking to herself and looking odd. But like Buffy, she has her helpers -- a younger brother who will take on any battle, and a Watcher-like character, complete with accent (but instead of a classy Englishman, this time we get a Scottish dog).

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

It's great to see a girl getting to be the hero, and doing it more or less on her own. Another big plus is the lack of racial stereotyping: Juniper is Asian, and the boy she has a crush on is African American.

The show's animation is rather flat, though there is an impressive array of monsters and demons, both good and bad. Overall, it's fun and entertaining and certainly a good lead-in for the more mature pleasures of Buffy.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-Y7
Network: Cartoon Network
Cast: Carlos Alazraqui, Kath Soucie, Lara Jill Miller, Phil LaMarr
Genre: Kids' Animation
Where to watch: Cartoon Network
This review was written by Sarah Wenk
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

icefire22
teen, 18 years old
 
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was this review useful?
helped me decide (16) | had useful details (15) | read my mind (19)
lvt
teen, 18 years old
 
juniper lee
it is great
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helped me decide (14) | had useful details (19) | read my mind (15)
hb_1013
teen, 15 years old
 
Boooooooooooooo!
I dont like it one bit. Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!
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helped me decide (15) | had useful details (15) | read my mind (16)
RichardD49
adult
17
 
IT WAS A GOOD SHOW TO WATCH
I AM 60 YEARS OLD AND I LIKED WATCHING JUNIPER LEE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY TOOK IT OFF THE AIR WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION. I WISH THEY WOULD BRING IT BACK.
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helped me decide (12) | had useful details (19) | read my mind (14)
TehAlchemist
teen, 18 years old
 
One Episode Rotted My Brain...
Well, It was canceled for a reason. How they can even compare this show with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" or "The Simpsons" is beyond me. I swear, sometimes I think that they can put anything on TV. The show had no plot and, for me, entertainment. Shows need to have a spine and enjoyable characters.
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helped me decide (16) | had useful details (12) | read my mind (15)
Sanjay407
kid, 13 years old
7
 
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helped me decide (15) | had useful details (15) | read my mind (12)
aidan1995
teen, 16 years old
 
mental
a must watch the only problem is they took it off cartoon network
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helped me decide (14) | had useful details (11) | read my mind (16)
the_terminator
teen, 14 years old
 
snoresville!!!!!!!!!
this show real stupid its a waste of that channel im glad its canceled its pointless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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riisfeldt
teen, 16 years old
 
buuyu
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helped me decide (12) | had useful details (15) | read my mind (12)
allietron
kid, 13 years old
8
 
It's alright
Some viloence and stuff. I think this show is funny for the adults. But really, it's fine. I like it. I think of this as a disney show, not a cartoon network show.
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helped me decide (11) | had useful details (13) | read my mind (13)
Poefreak
teen, 18 years old
6
 
nothing stood out on this show
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helped me decide (11) | had useful details (13) | read my mind (13)
KinbJune
teen, 13 years old
8
 
The Lifes and Times of a Good, but Sadly, Forsaken Show
This is a very interesting show staring a Te-Xuan-Ze and I'm very sorry that it was canceled. A lot of shows that were good were canceled on CN and I hope they don't make another mistake.
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helped me decide (13) | had useful details (9) | read my mind (14)
n3v3r
teen, 17 years old
 
Ew
Um, ew.
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helped me decide (14) | had useful details (10) | read my mind (11)
Mastermond
adult
13
 
A great place to visit
Creating a mythos of its own, the show takes its viewers through a world of monsters and spirits without scaring them.
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helped me decide (8) | had useful details (9) | read my mind (9)
inAtree
teen, 14 years old
5
 
It was a noble idea...
I watched three episodes and I think I understand why this show was cancelled. The voice acting leaves a lot to be desired. It's okay for little kids who can overlook a flaw like that, but for the older set I would recommend something like American Dragon: Jake Long instead.
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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
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