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Parents' Guide to

A Tale Dark & Grimm

By Ashley Moulton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Fairy tale retelling with humor, violence, and scariness.

TV Netflix Kids' Animation 2021
A Tale Dark & Grimm Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 28 parent reviews

QueenOfWands1993
QueenOfWands1993 Parent of 8-year-old
November 26, 2021
age 13+

Trying to desensitize our kids!

This show is rated 7+ by Netflix so naturally I thought it was fine to watch with my 8 year old. NOPE! The first episode is literally about how the parents randomly decide to kill their children (Hansel and Gretel) who somehow come back to life and then run away to find the scary candy house lady. The show goes into detail about how that lady ate her baby (because she loved it too much?) and now she can't get enough of children. The kids stay there and eat themselves into a coma, ignoring the closet full of children's shoes that pour out. The children eventually figure it out (after literally almost being burned to death in the oven) and push the lady out the window to her death. Then they SHOW her being impaled by the pole with her eyes open and tongue sticking out!!!! Wtf!!! We turned it off. I'm so disgusted by this show. Why create a cartoon fictional show like this? With the INTENTION of desensitizing our kids to violence? I'm not one of those parents that shelters their kid either. My daughter has seen stuff with violence but the violence was a side effect of our history and had a greater plot line worthy of discussion -- the intention was not meaningless violence like this show. This show should be removed from Netflix. So disappointed.
Megan4567
Megan4567 Adult
November 9, 2021
age 13+

Creepy ...murder?

Parents murdering their children? The rating on this on Netflix was Y7... which means for little kids. Sadistic, twisted and creepy. I see more and more of this mentally sick narrative finding it's way into children's media. Why??? What is the end game with all that? WTF is wrong with people!!?? NOT for kids.
See all 28 parent reviews

What's the Story?

A TALE DARK & GRIMM is a series based on the book of the same name, which itself is based on the Brothers Grimm version of "Hansel and Gretel." The first episode has parts of the familiar story, with siblings Hansel (voiced by Andre Robinson) and Gretel (Raini Rodriguez) winding up at the home of a woman who tries to eat them (played by Nicole Byer). Dark & Grimm tells an even darker version of the original story, with Hansel and Gretel's royal parents beheading them and then bringing them back to life with magical thread that holds their heads on. There's also reoccurring encounters with the Devil (Adam Lambert), a mysterious hooded figure, and various creatures that are trying to finish off the siblings. Hansel and Gretel navigate all this danger as they go on a quest to find better parents and, eventually, save their kingdom. Three ravens (comedians Scott Adsit, Ron Funches, and Erica Rhodes) narrate their adventures, and also check in on the home viewers when things start to get intense. Dark & Grimm expands on the fairy tale and creates a world full of magic, suspense, and siblings who will do anything for each other.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (28 ):
Kids say (21 ):

Older kids who can handle the darker elements will love this clever series that takes kids out of their comfort zones. IN A Tale Dark & Grimm the raven narrators ask kids, "Are you even old enough for this? You really think you can handle it?" and the series doesn't pull any punches with scary themes. The series tempers the edgier aspects with humor, like the silly ravens who break the fourth wall to talk to the viewers and the genius casting of the child-eating Mrs. Baker voiced by comedian Nicole Byer, whose voice kids might recognize from Nailed It. This is a series that challenges kids and takes them seriously, and the fantasy setting will enchant them. For the right kid, A Tale Dark & Grimm largely strikes the perfect balance of scares but also (probably) allowing them to sleep at night after watching.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about which parts of the series they find scary. What are some ways the show makes some things seem extra scary, and other things less scary?

  • Did it surprise you how dark and scary this fairy tale story is? Would you like to learn more about other Grimm fairy tales that might be different than the versions you're used to (Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, etc.)?

  • What are some times Hansel and Gretel show courage -- when they're afraid to do something but they do it anyway?

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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