| 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. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that this series features gangster drama occurring inside the body of Hector, a 13-year-old boy. Bad guys are viruses and bacteria who scheme, chase, and threaten, using expressions such as "you're a butthead" or "get whacked."
Based on characters from the movie Osmosis Jones, OZZY & DRIX is a 30-minute animated series that appeals to adolescent humor. It follows the health of 13-year-old Hector as he enters puberty, discovers girls, is tempted to try a cigarette, and other challenges of young teens. In the episode "Street Up," for example, it's the dreaded yearbook picture day. Inside his body (aka the City of Hector), all sorts of drama is about to unfold: A menacing germ named Smirch is finalizing plans to give Hector a mammoth pimple on his forehead. On the case are the show's heroes, Osmosis "Ozzy" Jones, a white blood cell with plenty of street savvy, and his partner Drixobensometaphedrian, or "Drix," a cold pill concocted in an Ivy League petri-dish who has smarts but lacks common sense. The pair work well together: Drix remembers that because it contains baking soda, toothpaste can be used to soak up the oil Smirch is using to produce the pimple, and the duo stops Smirch just in time for Hector's picture. Other characters on the show include Maria Amino, Ellen Patella, Mayor Spryman, Chief Gluteus and a slew of villains.
Most kids will find these characters, even the villains, funny. Expect humor to be about odor, mucus, phlegm, and bodily functions that are still humorous to this age group. The scenes in which Hector's health is in jeopardy -- for example, when a gangster named Sal Monella (voiced by Henry Winkler) tries to poison Hector -- may be frightening for children under 7 who still blur the line between reality and fantasy. Still, for those who can stomach the subject matter, Ozzy & Drix offers a glimpse into an urban world inside the complicated dynamic body of a 13-year-old who's just trying to get through the day.
Families can talk about the human physiology dramatized in each episode. Where is an appendix? Why does it become inflamed? The show also offers the opportunity to discuss the importance of how good hygiene helps combat body odor, tooth decay, and teenage acne.
| Topics: | magic and fantasy, adventures, friendship, science and nature |
| TV rating: | TV-Y7 |
| Network: | Cartoon Network |
| Cast: | Jeff Bennett, Phil LaMarr, Vivica A. Fox |
| Genre: | Kids' Animation |