Parents' Guide to

6teen

By Larisa Wiseman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Edgy teen cartoon has some positive messages, too.

TV Cartoon Network Kids' Animation 2005
6teen Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • 6teen screenshot 1
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Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 23 parent reviews

wizardortitan
wizardortitan Parent
August 28, 2020
age 10+

Fun show about teenage life suitable for preteens and above.

While 6teen does have a bit of an "edge" to it compared to what you might see on Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network today, all it really adds up to is a few innuendos and plays on words. Nothing that a simple TV-PG rating can't cover. Some episodes of the show touch on issues such as breast size and menstrual cycles; however, these topics are handled in a matter that is properly reserved and appropriate for the preteen audience.
Kevin Mo
Kevin Mo Adult
April 13, 2020
age 9+
Parents who give bad feedback cause it’s “inappropriate for kids”, be aware. None of the fresh TV animated shows are intended for kids. They’re all PG rated. They’re teen or adult animated. Kids won’t understand much in this show as it’s very grounded in realism with its writing and humor, compared to sister series Total Drama. The comedy is all from the character dynamics and dialogue. While this is a clean show in terms of language, (there’s like no profanity like “bitch” or “shit”, but there is the occasional “hell” or “ass”) compared to today’s adult cartoons (Rick and Morty, etc), there are some suggestive themes about teens, it is a teenage show after all. Lots of positive messages and lessons in this show and there’s some heart. Very underrated show.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 23 parent reviews

What's the Story?

6TEEN is a Canadian cartoon that centers on six teenage friends whose lives converge every day at the local mall, where they all hang out and hold down after-school jobs to varying degrees of success. There's Jen (voiced by Megan Fahlenbock), a type-A personality and star athlete; sweet but flighty fashionista Caitlin (Brooke D'Orsay); and free-spirited Nikki (Stacey DePass). Nikki's self-obsessed boyfriend, Jonesy (Terry McGurrin), is also Jen's stepbrother; laid-back Jude (Christian Potenza) just goes with the flow; and the easygoing musician Wyatt (Jess Gibbons) rounds out the group. When school's out, these teens' social lives revolve around the comings and goings of the shopping center's customers and the funny and unusual happenings within the mall.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (23):
Kids say (77):

It's no small feat to balance teens' desire for edgier content in their shows with parents' quest for some degree of innocuous entertainment for this impressionable viewing audience, and to toe this line in a cartoon is even more impressive. 6teen doesn't ignore the fact that teens have a growing awareness of relationships, sexuality, and life events; rather it crafts storylines that incorporate these issues in comical ways that still manage to leave teens with a positive view of friendship, dating, and handling the unexpected coming-of-age woes in their own lives. Yes, it does paint a mostly carefree picture of the characters' lives that might not entirely jibe with your own teen's, but that's also what keeps the content so light-hearted.

This is one of those cases in which the show's animation style might entice an unintended crowd of younger viewers, so be sure to keep this one off your younger kids' watch list. Teens can find the humor in the characters' antics and individual personalities without mistaking their actions for a playbook for life, but the same can't be said for kids' less experienced judgment.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what the media says about relationships between teens. Do you find that what you see in movies and on TV reflects what you experience among your peers? Which shows tend to be more realistic than others?

  • Do producers have a responsibility to moralize the TV shows, movies, music, etc. that we consume? Who decides where the line exists between entertainment and sensationalism? Have you ever been surprised at the nature of something you've seen or heard on TV?

  • Watch TV commercials and look through magazines for ads. In what ways is sex used as a marketing tool? How effective is this tactic?

  • Scan job ads online or in print. What skills do you have that lend themselves to particular jobs?

TV Details

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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 suggesting a diversity update.

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