My Life as a Teenage Robot

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Cartoon looks cool, but it can be a bit of a drag.
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 that violence plays a big part in this cartoon about a female teen robot. Sensitive viewers may feel overwhelmed by the pressure that Jenny feels to fit in -- as well as to conquer -- throughout the show.

  • Not applicable.
  • Jenny the robot feels strong pressure both to fit in and to conquer.
  • Jenny wants to fit in, as most teens do, but she's so afraid
    of being the butt of jokes that she makes some poor decisions.
  • Lots of fighting. The central protagonist and many of the villains are female, so the fighting is frequently among, and against, females.

What's the story?

Heralded as a success when it hit the airwaves in 2003, MY LIFE AS A TEENAGE ROBOT presents itself as a fun escape for young sci-fi fans. But the fantasy dissolves into violence very quickly; moreover, Jenny's enemies enjoy ridiculing her. In one episode, a girl in her class calls her an "absolute freak," while the entire group laughs at her expense. To Jenny, defeating enemy space bikers from outer space is a breeze when compared to the threat of never fitting in with her peers.


Is it any good?

 

The show's language can be a bit iffy, as when Jenny threatens a bully with "Come face an army of me, you jerk." Jenny's mother/creator is not a nurturing sort either and will say things like, "As a parent it is my right to destroy your happiness."

Parents should watch out for Jenny's poor decisions in the face of humiliation and should be aware of the presence of heavy peer pressure. Though it looks cool and has an upbeat energy, the show can be a bit of a drag. Some kids may enjoy it for the mindless entertainment it intends to be, but know that there are much better uses of a free half-hour.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the difference between science fiction pressures to save the world and those that preteens feel every day. What happens if you don't fit in? Is it the end of the world?

  • Do you think Jenny is a positive role model? Why or why not?


This review was written by Joly Herman
Teen, 17 years old
November 28, 2010
 
Cartoon sounds violent, but it can be quite safe
I do not see why so many people think this show is that violent. First, battles do not even happen in every episode. "No Place Like Homeschool" is a good example of that. Second, the battles, when they do happen, are unusually primitive. No one gets hurt for more than like two seconds. The episode where Vexus steals Jenny's blueprints ended with a showdown where not a single punch was thrown. A few episodes I guess really do have fantasy violence, but even the ones that do most kids can handle. I think this show should still have a TV-Y rating with a few episodes rated TV-Y7.

Flag as inappropriate 
Parent of 19 year old
September 26, 2009
 
not a good show
lots of fihting.

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Teen, 14 years old
October 31, 2009
 
A HUGE DISSAPOINTMENT
this show is vilont and was and is a dispointment.

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Parent of 9 and 11 year old
February 11, 2010
 
Really funny but might send wrong message to certain children.
This was a great show and my kids watched it all the time, just too bad they ended it and it is just repeats. The children at school in this show can be hurtful and may send bad influences so keep on the lookout for that. Everything else about the show is fun and entertaining for the little ones.

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Kid, 13 years old
November 28, 2010
 
Funny show
I'm glad this show aired. Very creative. And very cool.

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Teen, 16 years old
April 9, 2008
 
It's good, may be not perfect though.
MLAATR is one of my favorite shows (unfortunately it got cancelled without a series finale). It combines comedy, action, sci-fi, and school-life materials which makes it appealing to me since the show covers so many genres. (Yes I know this is a short review).

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Adult
December 26, 2010
 
I hate the show because there are lots more shows from nick that are more worth your time like Tuff puppy, and Penguins of Madagascar just to name a few.

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Kid, 12 years old
September 9, 2009
 
i like it
its sometimes funny and entertaining yes it has that obviouis humor but i like that the robot is a strong female so its ok but the eps are getting old

Flag as inappropriate 
Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Best show ever!!!
This show is very good for preteens or teenagers who are trying to fit in. It is about a teenage robot girl named Jenny. Jenny is always made fun of, and she struggles to fit in. Her friends Brad, Tuck, and Sheldon are good examples because they are still her friends even though she is different. Vega is a good example because she is not evil like the Cluster, so you know you don't have to be like everyone else. Everyone between the ages 9-16 should watch it! written in 2006 by Vexus2006

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Kid, 12 years old
April 28, 2011
 
Pretty dull show
BORING but pretty good.

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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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