Timon & Pumbaa

 Review

Common Sense Media says

The Lion King does Looney Tunes.
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

Not yet rated

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that some of the characters in this cartoon series are pretty scary, particularly the three always-starving, stooge-like hyenas, who never catch their prey. Disney's excellent animation can make them look quite horrifying, and they frequently hit each other, as well as attack their prey. The violence is of a cartoon nature -- abundant and free of consequence. There's a commercial break between segments, and Toon Disney's commercials tend to be of the most insidious kind.

  • Characters frequently hit one another in anger. It's cartoon violence, but nothing you'd want a child imitating.
  • Classic cartoon violence -- if a character is hit with a frying pan, his head emerges in the shape of a pan, etc.
  • Not applicable.
  • Not applicable.
  • No on-screen product placement (though there is an ad break), but this is Disney, so products are a given. Lion King merchandise is still out there everywhere, and these characters are included.

What's the story?

Lion King spin-off series TIMON & PUMBAA has its roots in classic American humor. With its wacky cartoon violence, similarity to the original Looney Tunes is unmistakable, and the three hyena characters are clearly an homage to the Three Stooges. Like the Stooges, these characters sometimes hit one another, usually in response to some perceived stupidity.


Is it any good?

 

Parents and older kids will find plenty of slapstick and pun-like humor, most of which is worked in well enough that a younger viewer won't require an explanation. There's plenty of wacky cartoon violence, but only the very youngest viewers might be bothered by it -- and then only until they get the way these cartoons work and accept a world where you can fall out of an airplane and emerge unharmed. Timon & Pumbaa is pure brain candy, with no lessons and no morals. It's Bugs and Daffy for the Lion King fan.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about how TV Timon and Pumbaa are different from the characters in the movie. Parents might also bring up the series' joyfully ludicrous violence, as opposed to the apparently serious violence found in anime and action cartoons. Which do you like better, and why? Parents might also want to discuss the characters' tendency to hit one another when they're angry. Why is that funny on screen but not off?


This review was written by KJ Dell Antonia
Teen, 18 years old
April 9, 2008
 
great
this is what tv should be. light classical humor. it is still on disney and toon disney. a must see for whomever like the lion king.

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Teen, 15 years old
April 16, 2010
 
I used to love this show!
I used to be a huge TLK fan when I was really young. I couldn't get enough of this show. Nothing but a little cartoon violence to worry about. Not that you'll be able to find this show on air now that XD has finally overpowered Toon Disney...

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Teen, 15 years old
March 12, 2010
 
Where on Earth did Disney Go?
I LOVE this show, my only consern is the violence. But I wish it shows on Disney channel more. Infact on the main Disney channel, it doesn'r show at all. I'm afraid teens have taken over Disney. I'm a teen, but I don't like that kinda stuff. I know little kids like it, but thats cuz they've never seen the REAL Disney very often. . .

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Funnier than the Modern Disney Barf (excluding Playhouse Disney)
It's like Looney Tunes, Lion King-style.

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Teen, 15 years old
October 11, 2010
 
A good intertaning show with cartoonish violence
It was a really fun show to watch. I love the Lion King, and Timon and Pumbaa are really funny together. It had some violence, but not like, horrible or anything. It's intertaning and little kids will love it, there are far worse cartoons on now a days that can NOT compare to this show. They need to bring back Toon Disney because Disney XD is rediculous.

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Kid, 11 years old
July 21, 2011
 
It's Okay...
I watched a VHS of it on YouTube, and it really actually was quite good. Not enough to make me laugh to death, but it was entertaining, and I did laugh once in awhile. There are some great lessons that are learned, and Timon who usually does all the wrong stuff, learns his lesson pretty darn well. There IS an episode where Timon feels guilty and he has a nightmare where they are to cut off his head. There is no blood, but there is black liquid that covers the screen. So, not the BEST show. But I DO wish they still showed it.

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Timon and Pumbaa
Sexual Content (Not an Issue): None. Violence (Pause): Lots of cartoony slapstick, comic peril. Language (Not an Issue): Pumbaa is repeatedly referred to as a "mook" by Timon. Social Behavior (Not an Issue): Snooty behavior and nastiness, but it's made clear that this isn't acceptable behavior. Most episodes have some kind of moral lesson within them. Commercialism (Not an Issue): Spin-off of The Lion King. Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco (Not an Issue): None.

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Teen, 15 years old
June 29, 2010
 
Looney Tune-ish show
Ii used to watch it. The crude humor was weird...other than that I liked it. There is a lot of slapstick violence, but it's like Looney Tunes. But you can't watch it on TV because Disney got rid of Toon Disney :(

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Teen, 15 years old
March 30, 2012
 
Timon & Pumbaa will ROCK YOU!
Wonderful. You're looking at primary humor and characters. And you gotta love those cheetah twins I wish they were in more episodes!

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Kid, 13 years old
March 26, 2012
 
LOL
Good role models for friendship. But it is a FUNNY show!!! Those two always make me LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!! And, for those who are stressed over the fact that it's not on anymore, as Timon and Pumbaa would totally say, "Hakuna Matata". It'll be on Disney Junior: The Channel, which just replaced SOAPnet. If you don't get DJ:TC, you can go to Disney Junior's website. It hasn't gotten back yet, but it'll be there soon.

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This review was written by KJ Dell Antonia
This review was written by KJ Dell Antonia
 

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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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