Little Bill

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Little Bill knows a whole lot about love & laughs.
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

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know the series is based on the Little Bill books written by Bill Cosby. This series is similar to The Cosby Show, except that it's animated and meant for 4-year-olds. Little Bill has a tricky little grin and the strong will of a young child. His parents and the community embrace him as he develops. Overall the series creates a gentle and friendly atmosphere for young viewers.

  • Little Bill's neighborhood is a mixture of many different people. Even when he gets himself into a fix, Little Bill is treated by his elders with respect. In fact, respect to one another is a theme throughout the show.
  • Not applicable.
  • Not applicable.

What's the story?

Based on the books written by Bill Cosby, this animated series centers on polite child Little Bill (voiced by Xavier Pritchett) and his family. Little Bill's mother (Phylicia Rashad) is an attentive and patient woman who is sometimes busy tapping away at her laptop but always has time for her children. When she requires support, she draws upon a community of family and friends who are interested in the well-being of the children in the community. Hence a strong foundation of care and attentiveness is created beneath the action of Little Bill's world, giving him a safe place to grow and explore.


Is it any good?

 

Little Bill reflects another successful effort by Cosby to bring a story of a loving home life to the small screen. The show is set in an urban Utopia, which isn't a bad place for young viewers to visit. Also inspiring are the professional demeanor of the people who interact with Little Bill and his family, the seamless sense of community, and the Afro-centric world in which these characters celebrate life.

And although the animation is reminiscent of a storybook come to life, the audio track mimics real life, with voices speaking in regular cadence and sound effects that match the surroundings. The only sound that has a cartoon effect is the blinking eyes of Elephant, Little Bill's hamster, who is forever scrabbling around Bill's room in his plastic play ball. So much is true to life, yet somehow, since it's animated, the series keeps a magical TV-land effect.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the values of Bill's family. Is their interaction and how they navigate different situations, similar to your family dynamics? Do kids admire Bill?


This review was written by Joly Herman
Kid, 13 years old
January 14, 2011
 
...okay just plain weird
Bills head is oversized and WTF hes bald. he will give little kids nightmares

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Parent of 4 year old
December 16, 2008
 
mixed feelings
Little bill is an annoying spoiled brat who is way too stubborn for his own good. my daughter likes it a little. but i can't stand it! He's a brat and he's stubborn!

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Adult
July 20, 2009
 
Racist? Nah. Less annoying than Caillou? DEFINETLY.
I wish the reviewer who said that this show was "racist" would explain why....what's the point of expressing your view if you don't elaborate so people can see where you're coming from? I sure can't-I've never thought of this show as racist. The characters being black really isn't even the main subject of the program-they just are. The only objection I have to Little Bill is the occasional cute but erroneous imformation provided about various subjects, i.e. Little Bill saying that baby rabbits grow inside the mother rabbit's stomach (presumably until they are ready to be born)-I had to clear that up for my daughter, who is just starting to wonder about the facts of life. Other than that-we don't watch this often, but when we do, I have no objection to it-I consider it more entertainment than educational, but inoffensive and soothing. I'm not sure it would be of much interest to a kid younger than three or four, though. And also-it isn't Caillou, which is enough to warrant at least a four star rating as far as I'm concerned!

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Perfect
Little Bill is full of different cultures which I think is great for kids of all ages.

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
umm......
I don't think children under 5 or 6 can understand this show so I give this TV-Y7

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Little Cutie!
My daughter has learned more from this show about behavior and how it effects others more than any other. She keeps what she learns and uses it a lot. One episode was to say SO when someone calls you names or bullies you and she uses it a lot! I like the fact the family is black because there are so few african-americans where we live and they show other races also all being together. She needs that and I'm glad she is getting it.

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Kid, 10 years old
November 4, 2011
 
Awesome show
They use the word "stupid" alot.

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Parent of 3 and 10 year old
September 1, 2011
 
rancid

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Teen, 15 years old
February 3, 2011
 
Good For Kids
Haha, he reminds me of Bill Cosby because that's the person who he was made to resemble. But... Little Bill kind of creeps me out most of the time.

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Parent of 3 year old
January 22, 2011
 
Great for preschoolers
I love this show. It is positive. It's multicultural and relevant. It deals with every day situations that preschoolers have to deal with at their age. I especially like the way they handle helping preschoolers see how they can handle their many emotions during play time with others, with siblings, getting a pet etc.

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This review was written by Joly Herman
This review was written by Joly Herman
 

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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.

 

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