 | 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. |
Phineas and Ferb
- Disney XD
- Genre: Kids' Animation
Common Sense Media says
Duo's over-the-top schemes are fun for kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there's little cause for concern in this fun-filled -- if slightly exaggerated -- cartoon for grade-schoolers. Kids will certainly enjoy the characters' over-the-top antics and adventures, and (aside from said antics possibly inspiring grandiose ideas), there's not much to worry about when it comes to messages. The sister character is a bit of a stereotype who nags, whines, and is obsessed with her boyfriend, but that's not the show's focus. Mild peril is played for humor, and allusions are made to youthful crushes, but little of this content will be new to kids, and most are likely to overlook it when there's so much other fun stuff going on.
What's the story?
Young stepbrothers Phineas Flynn (voiced by Vincent Martella) and Ferb Fletcher (Thomas Sangster) want to make the most of their summer vacation, packing in as much action and adventure as they can. Each day, the two schemers set to work on oversized plans for visions like backyard surfing, personal theme park rides, and overnight musical fame. They're accompanied by the family's pet platypus, Perry (Dee Bradley Baker), whose placid nature hides a top-secret identity and a mission to save the world from the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz (Dan Povenmire). Despite their parents'; oblivion, the boys' antics don't escape the watchful eye of their older sister, Candace (Ashley Tisdale), who gets positively giddy about the chance to prove once and for all that they're up to no good.
Is it any good?
This fun-filled cartoon is sure to win over young fans with its exaggerated sense of adventure and the comical pairing of boisterous Phineas and his mostly silent partner in crime, Ferb, who nonetheless proves his worth as his stepbrother's go-to engineering guru. Kids will enjoy letting their imaginations run wild with the characters' zany schemes almost as much as slightly older viewers (and even parents) will appreciate the show's wit and clever humor.
Add to that the unlikely plot twists -- which ensure that the boys' work remains under wraps -- and Perry's continued ability to outwit the humans around him, and it's easy to like this fast-paced cartoon. Parents can rest assured that while there's little attempt to teach obvious lessons here, the content is as innocuous as the premise is fun, making it a fine choice for grade-school viewers.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the role that exaggeration plays in comedy. Do storylines seem funnier when they're taken to extremes -- as in the case of Phineas and Ferb's many oversized schemes?
Do you think plots based on exaggeration can ever impact viewers (particularly young ones) in a negative way? If so, how?
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AGE
Might be ok for older children/tweens and up.
We are a pretty conservative family and there are words (such as stupid) that are used all the time in this cartoon. Also, the parents in the cartoon are not present much and when they are they appear goofy and clueless. The kids in the cartoon are sassy and seem to have little respect for their parents. The teenage daughter in the cartoon is absolutely infatuated with a boy and while this may be ok for the older crowd I don't care for my younger kids watching it. Lastly there seems to be a lot of screaming/yelling in the cartoon which is just annoying. I guess the positives would be team work ? This show is purely for entertainment nothing educational.
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AGE
What I like best is the good-heartedness of Phineas and Ferb. When confronted with a trash-talking pair of would-be competitors, they are gracious and kind. And I like how the over-the-top behavior of Candace around and about Jeremy can be a cautionary tale for girls learning how to be around boys - and how NOT to be around boys - when puberty hits and the tectonic plates of their lives shift. And the boys and their sister really love their Mom and say so (in one episode); as a mom I cannot resist that. Watch this show with your kids - you will be repaid for your time.
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AGE
The ONLY show my 4- and 10-year-old both watch - and LOVE
This is the only show my precocious 4- (boy) and 10-year-old (girl) kids can both agree on. The tunes are catchy, and the pop-culture references are subtle enough so the kids aren't missing anything and parents can be quietly amused. I keep separate playlists on my iPod and several of the P&F tunes are on both kids' list...and mine!
The only downer for me is the boy-craziness of the two main female characters Isabella (who's hopelessly in love with Phineas) and teen sister Candace who is beyond paranoid about her teenaged boyfriend. Their saving grace is that Isabella is incredibly capable in her own right (and capable of meeting any outlandish requests made by the boys - though why she's always serving their needs is beyond me - I heard rumor they're thinking of giving the Fireside Girls their own who).
Also, the show makes it clear that Candace's paranoia about Jeremy is ridiculous (lest any tweener think it's desirable behavior!) and she does go on more than her own share of death-defying adventures (always winning the lovable Jeremy's admiration, despite her own insecurities). Last, Jeremy is a boyfriend and parent of a teenager would be happy to have their daughter date, so it has that going for it as well.
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AGE
Great show, smart and fun!
I am a very picky mom when it comes to TV programming, because my kids imitate everything they see. We don't watch Spongebob or even old Charlie Brown shows because of how they act afterwards. With that said, I LOVE Phineas and Ferb! I think this show is so funny (even for me, super witty and clever), encourages creativity and celebrates intelligence. My kids love it and get great ideas from it. My son keeps telling me he wants to build an anti-gravity machine.
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AGE
Great for raising an insulting smart mouth
Only speaking as a parent of a 5 yr old, I can say that if my kids start using language like they hear on this show (and they will), there will be trouble. I turned this on specifically because it was recommended by CSM, but one of the first things I heard was "shut up, you moron". I guess if you want to raise a smart mouth right off the bat (until waiting until the prime teen years for that to kick in naturally :) ), this would be a great primer. I will be looking for other shows that don't have this language at least until she is a little older.
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AGE
Our whole family loves this show!!!
This is one of the funniest shows ever! There are catchy songs, great plots and really funny characters. There is humor for both kids and adults. Granted, our kids get the humor just as much as we do. It's just plain funny.
It's the type of show you can watch it over and over and it just gets funnier. There are little things you catch each time. When the t.v. is on, it's usually on Phineas and Ferb. Great show!!!
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AGE
I Know What We're Going To Do Today! Watch 'Phineas and Ferb'!
I'm proud to say that the entire family loves this show! There is always a positive message without being heavy handed. The characters are fresh and inventive. And the stories, while being very formulaic, always surprise you.
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AGE
Creative, imaginative, and squeaky clean show.
Whats not to like? This show is funny but does not stereotype or rely on insults for humor, which is kind of sad, but this is one of the few shows on TV these days that still has value. There are very few bad role models, and it can inspire creativity in youth and maybe even tweens and teens, depending on how technology reliant they are. But overall, its what it truly call a family show, and is worth a try no matter how old your kids are.
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AGE
Waiting for 5+ and maybe a little later.
It is a fun show only. No educational value what so ever. She only gets to watch it every now and then and I try to watch too as to point out behaviors or words I don't like. They say the word stupid so that was an issue in our house for a while. We have pretty much tured this show off until she is a little older to understand not to mimic the behaviors she sees.
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AGE
Great for a family sit-down show. Enjoy it together!
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, book characters, friendship |
| TV rating: | TV-G |
| Network: | Disney XD |
| Cast: | Ashley Tisdale, Thomas Sangster, Vincent Martella |
| Genre: | Kids' Animation |
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