Hulu (http://www.hulu.com)

common sense media says

Free TV and movies online; some have iffy content.


parents & educators say
  • 33% say language is an issue
  • 33% say they noticed product placement

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that some of the free TV shows and movies streaming on this site may not be appropriate for kids. Although a lot of the content on the classic sitcoms, network dramas, and cable reality shows are fine for tweens, there are some programs, such as Prison Break, The Girls Next Door, and Saturday Night Live, that have violence, sex, and other inappropriate content that even some teens shouldn't be seeing. And, making the selection process difficult for parents, the site doesn't include a rating system or even the most basic MPAA and TV ratings. It also lacks a listing system of what type of bad stuff may be included in a show.

Educational value: Kids can get to see some classic TV shows that they may not have known about -- and that are good -- but they might also see some shows that they aren't allowed to watch at home.
Positive messages: Varies from show to show. Parents really need to preview shows to know what to expect.
Violence: Streamed shows feature violence, such as on Cops, Murder One, and Prison Break, but also there are also a lot of shows (like Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?) that are fine.
Sex: Several shows are sexually oriented, like The Family Guy, The Girls Next Door, and Dr. Steve-O.
Language: Feature films include profanity and some cable TV shows also include crude humor and language. Some are OK.
Consumerism: Commercials appear before each program.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Drinking, smoking, and limited drug use scattered throughout some of the shows.

More on Hulu

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about which TV shows are appropriate for kids to watch and which ones aren't? What themes make a show good for all ages? What storylines should be reserved only for older teens and adults? Families can also talk about how old and new TV shows differ. Are the story lines and characters in these classic shows similar to today's shows? How?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Hulu.com is such a great place for entertainment it's hard to believe it's free. There are commercials, usually for about 2 minutes, before the show starts, but less than you have to sit through during a traditional TV program. The site's organization is very intuitive and there are nice features like full-screen and "lower lights" that add to the viewing enjoyment. As the site becomes more popular, the review section will probably become a top resource for what to watch. Who needs cable, when you have Hulu?


This review was written by Jacqueline Rupp
 
 

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What parents & educators say

16
Based on 3 parent & educator reviews:
  • 33% say language is an issue
  • 33% say they noticed product placement

Most useful reviews by all members

gbboone
teen, 15 years old
 
Good Legal Source
Unlike most other free TV sites, this is a legal way to watch online TV. Money goes to the shows and they are in charge if they stay on or not. Except for consumerism, I'm not going to point out anything else because there is a wide range of entertainment.

Equestrian.Sam ...
teen, 13 years old
 
Mature Teens & Up
Hulu is great for mature teens and up. Consumerism is an issue because there is (at the least) one commercial that must be played through before viewing the selected TV show/movie.

lollypop12
teen, 14 years old
 
good for mostly all ages
its the best! It's safe free and awesome!I've found some very funny snl skits and every one I've showed them to has loved them. I've showed them to adults and friends. I think it's so COOL, its one of the top sites that I go toin my free time!

Avalone
parent of and 12 , 15 , 18 year old
 
perfect for your teen-bopper or high school child
my older teen loves this site while there are commericals there's usually only four to five ads total per show

<flyboy>
teen, 18 years old
 
My Favorite TV Watching Site
I watched all of the Arrested Development episodes and all of the Office episodes on this time and was pleased by the limited commercial breaks and great quality of video.

TheNostalgiaLover
kid, 12 years old
 
Hulu is a horrible Cartoon website
I can not find of my favorite ben 10, ben 10 alien force and ben 10 ultimate alien (Only 1 or 2 of them appear but they only lead to CN website). I also can't find any of the old classic good shows like Sonic Sat. PM or super mario world. What a rip-off website this is. And Netflex is even worse then hulu because you would have to pay a extra $10.00 for the Dvds and a extra $8.00 for the membership for one month and that is a lot if you have it for 6 months by kid standards ($56.00). If you would be smart enough to buy a recording dish like directv of Dish Network, you would probaly record the episodes if you would be lucky enough to catch them.

trickster123
kid, 12 years old
 
why did so many people say it for older kids?
there's no account or downloading needed to watch shows (the shows are the ones you should be worring about)im 11 years old and i go on this.i watch the simpsons on this and OK they show commercials,but that's beacause they think ADULTS watch them. so i say this site for 10+

ViDeO_mOvie_K i D
teen, 16 years old
 
every body can go on this site
has kids shows and adult shows. jest for every body

Frylock234
kid, 12 years old
 
not as plaesed as i expected to be

reveiwer123987
kid, 13 years old
 
best for all ages
I clicked all the things because it depends what your watching on it.

pascal
teen, 17 years old
 
AO
AMERICANS ONLY

wizardortitan
kid, 10 years old
 
Awesome site for anime!
There's some bad stuff on it but most of the anime on it is fine. I watch Sgt. Frog on there all the time! BTW the only reason I didn't give it five stars is because of the ads. Get rid of them!

cammy48
kid, 11 years old
 
It all depends what you are watching. Anyone under 13 probably should stay away from the amine section (do not make the same mistake). The family section is not completely safe either. If you are under eleven probably narrow down to the kids. Some shows are fine though.

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About our rating system
ON: Content is 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