Common Sense Media Review
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kids who like Arthur will enjoy Buster's travels.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Postcards from Buster
What's the Story?
Arthur fans will be familiar with the cartoon cast of POSTCARDS FROM BUSTER -- but this series goes beyond the fictional world that the 'toons inhabit, interspersing live video footage of the people Buster meets as well. Postcards from Buster crosses race, ethnic, religious, and class lines with the greatest of ease. So while Buster isn't the most evolved character in the world -- he tends to obsess about junk food, and he can get frustrated rather easily -- he's also able to ask things like "what's a reservation?" to a Native American host without feeling self-conscious.
Is It Any Good?
This show earned some notoriety after it was singled out by the Department of Education for an episode featuring a girl in Vermont who proudly showed a photo of her mom and her female life partner. The discussion that this brief snapshot of real life incurred might not be a bad thing, though, because talking about people's choices is always a good conversation for families to have. Ultimately, the tone set by Postcards from Buster is one of tolerance and diversity -- a timely reflection of the melting pot in which we live.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way that other people live their lives -- how does what kids see in Postcards from Buster reflect or differ from life in their own hometown?
What do they take away from Buster's travels? Do they get any ideas of where they might want to travel?
How does Buster demonstrate compassion and curiosity in Postcards from Buster? Why are those important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 11, 2004
- Cast : Daniel Brochu
- Network : PBS
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Adventures
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Curiosity
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate