Funny. Funny. Funny. Funny. Funny
Tom and Jerry
(Rated TV-G, Children, cartoons, & animation, Where to watch: Boomerang, DVD)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Cat and mouse face off in classic (but violent) cartoon.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 5–7
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Role models:
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Tom and Jerry was written by Deirdre Sheppard
Parents need to know that this animated classic is far from educational. Although it's considered a masterpiece, some of the series' content -- particularly the consequence-free cartoon violence -- is iffy for younger viewers. There's also some content that reflects the series' original 1960s' era -- such as the fact that the characters smoke in some episodes.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about why it's important to respect someone else even when competing with them. When does competition become unhealthy?
- Why is it inappropriate to make fun of someone else?
- Why can something be funny on TV but dangerous in real life? How does the violence in this show compare to what you've seen in other series?
Have you seen it? Review It!
More on Tom and Jerry
What’s the Story?
TOM AND JERRY invented the cat-and-mouse game we all know today. The classic pair have had many incarnations, but everything dates back to the original 1940s MGM series, in which the pair chases, outsmarts, and tortures each other to the max. In each episode, Tom the cat attempts to outsmart Jerry the mouse -- although in most cases Jerry ends up turning the tables on his foe. For example, Tom builds a master mouse trap for Jerry. All is going well until Jerry escapes, leaving Tom to land in the trap himself. Parents can try to use scenarios like this to teach their kids to root for the underdog, but that's about the only positive message you'll get out of this show.
Is It Any Good?
Tom and Jerry is inarguably one of the most celebrated cartoons of all time. But that doesn't mean it's perfect for young viewers. In most episodes, Tom and Jerry casually smoke some form of tobacco. In the mouse trap episode, for example, Tom gives Jerry a cigarette before his supposed death, and Tom daydreams about smoking a Cuban cigar once Jerry is dead. Mild sexual innuendoes occasionally pop up, too; in one episode, Jerry uses a bra as a parachute to escape explosives.
But parents should be most concerned about the show's constant violence. Examples include Tom hitting a dog with a brick, Jerry blinding Tom with toothpaste, and Pecos the mouse (a guest character) using an ax to tear down a door. Other weapons such as guns, knives, and saws make regular appearances. (Obviously, there's a kernel of accuracy behind The Simpsons' extremely bloody Tom and Jerry parody, Itchy and Scratchy.) It's all played for laughs, but Tom and Jerry's unexplainable motives could prove confusing for younger viewers.
Our Members Say
See all 18 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
Tom and Jerry is Fun.....ny....
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
my childs #1 favorite
cartoon violence, nothing major
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
come on! people think this is a bad show just cus of the violence!?!!? WICH IS THE BEST PART!!!!!!!!! THEY EXPECT YOU TO WATCH DORA, JUST CUS IT'S EDUCATIONAL?!?!?! THEY SHOULD WATCH THIS SHOW AND SEE WHAT THEIR MISSING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
Off 4- Iffy 5-7 On 8+
It's okay, but there is better.
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
Off 4- Iffy 5-7 On 8+
It's okay, but there is better.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say it's too violent |
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