Parents' Guide to Atomic Puppet

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Common Sense Media Review

Emily Ashby By Emily Ashby , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 7+

Superhero duo battles villains in quirky animated series.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 7+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 7+

Based on 1 parent review

age 10+

Based on 1 kid review

What's the Story?

ATOMIC PUPPET follows the misadventures of 12-year-old Joey Felt (voiced by Eric Bauza) and his superhero idol, one Captain Atomic (Bauza again), who's now relegated to life as a sock puppet thanks to one of his nemeses. When trouble befalls Mega City, Joey slips Atomic Puppet -- aka AP -- on his hand and the two "power up," assuming super strength and other powers that help them battle the day's visiting villain.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 1 ):
Kids say ( 1 ):

This lighthearted buddy comedy is filled with fast-paced action and humor that's just right for grade-schoolers' liking. AP's larger-than-life personality stands in contradiction to his unremarkable physique. Only Joey sees his true potential in spite of his puppet persona; similarly, AP can only become his true self with Joey's help. Despite their differences, they make a great team for saving their city and have some good things to show about friendship that bridges gaps.

Even so, what will stand out to kids aren't these kinds of messages so much as the kind of exaggerated humor that keeps Atomic Puppet rolling. Much of it is physical -- lots of crashes, smashes, and bumps here -- and there's always the promise of something stinky or otherwise gross on the horizon. In other words, it's probably not one you'll want to take in with your kids, but it's a mostly innocuous pick for the pre-tween crowd.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Joey and AP's friendship in Atomic Puppet. Does each need the other equally, or is one more reliant? How does their friendship benefit both of them?

  • Why does AP think so highly of himself? Does it cloud his judgment when he's up against an adversary? Where is the line between confidence and vanity? Is an ego necessarily a bad thing?

  • As superheroes go, how do AP and Joey rank? Would they fare well against a big hitter like Superman or Captain America? What superpower would you most like to have? What makes superheroes good role models?

TV Details

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