Atom Ant
By KJ Dell Antonia,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Mighty Mouse knock-off hasn't aged well.
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Based on 2 parent reviews
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What's the Story?
ATOM ANT is a mid-'60s Hanna-Barbara cartoon about a superstrong, superfast flying ant. Sometimes he works at the behest of the police, stopping, say, gangs of picnic-stealing ants on motorcycles, and sometimes he fights bad guys on his own. The show's includes cartoon shorts featuring the adventures of the Hillbilly Bears, a sort of combination of the Beverly Hillbillies and the Flintstones.
Is It Any Good?
It's not exactly clear why he's "Atom" Ant; perhaps it's his superpowers making him the futuristic ideal of an ant. Older kids will laugh at his souped-up headquarters -- an anthill featuring a giant computer/telephone a la the Jetsons, along with a large collection of barbells -- but younger ones may well enjoy the flying and the spectacle of an ant lifting cars and the like.
As in Mighty Mouse -- and, really, all the superhero cartoons of the era -- female characters are invariably in peril and stereotypes like Latin lovers abound. While these generally go over the heads of young viewers, older kids will easily spot them for what they are. As for the Hillbilly Bears shorts, there's really very little humor beyond the stereotypes and the pratfalls, but at least it's short.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Atom Ant and his determined ways -- in addition to being heroic, he's rather stubborn: He wants to triumph his way. Is that always a good thing, or are there other ways to get what he wants? Families can also discuss the Hillbilly Bears. Is it mocking stereotypes, or playing into them? How are today's cartoons different from this show? Do you think they've gotten better? Why?
TV Details
- Premiere date: October 2, 1965
- Cast: Don Messick, Howard Morris
- Network: Boomerang
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Superheroes
- TV rating: TV-Y7
- Last updated: May 22, 2023
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