Common Sense Media Review
By Ashley Moulton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Charming Pixar sequel series delivers laughs, mild suspense.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Monsters at Work
What's the Story?
Monsters at Work picks up right where Monsters, Inc. left off -- with Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) and James P. Sullivan, aka "Sulley" (John Goodman) converting their power plant from scare-power to laugh-power. They get promoted to CEO, and Mike's first act in charge is to promote his girlfriend Celia (Jennifer Tilly) from receptionist to floor manager. Recent Monsters University graduate Tylor Tuskmon (Ben Feldman) is thrilled to get a job offer at the prestigious Monsters, Inc., but on his first day he learns that the company no longer has a need for an expert Scarer. Instead, he must learn to become a Jokester- a monster that visits kids at night and gets them to laugh. While he trains, he gets a temporary job in the MIFT (Monsters Incorporated Facilities Team) department. There he has to learn to get along with his oddball co-workers: the excessively friendly Val (Mindy Kaling), old-timer Fritz (Henry Winkler), and opportunistic Duncan (Lucas Neff). Can Mike and Sulley teach Tylor to be funny so they all can realize their dreams?
Is It Any Good?
The new-and-improved Monsters, Inc. company's slogan is "It's laughter we're after," and this joyful series follows through on the fictional company's goal. The same outstanding voice cast from the original movie reprise their roles, and Billy Crystal's Mike is even more amped up since his official job function is to teach the monsters to be funny. The new characters Tylor and Val are great (though sadly the devastatingly cute Boo from the original doesn't appear in the series). In the typical Disney/Pixar tradition, Monsters at Work has humor for both kids and adults. Besides the yuks, the heartwarming characters and inventive storylines really make the series shine. Kids will enjoy seeing the monsters learn from their mistakes as they try to master something new, and will empathize with Tylor as he adapts and goes after a new dream. This series could have phoned it in and coasted on the success of its movie predecessor, but there's a lot for kids to love (and laugh at) in this sequel.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the monsters' perseverance. How do Mike and Sulley persevere to make the new Monsters, Inc. successful? How does Tylor adapt his plan so he can fulfill his dreams at Monsters, Inc.?
What do YOU think is funny? If you were a monster, how would you try to make kids laugh?
The monsters in the MIFT department are all really different than Tylor. How do you try to get to know people that are different than you are?
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 7, 2021
- Cast : Ben Feldman , Billy Crystal , John Goodman , Mindy Kaling , Henry Winkler , Bonnie Hunt , Jennifer Tilly
- Network : Disney+
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- TV rating :
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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