Parents' Guide to

Black Dynamite

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Risque, raunchy blaxpoitation is funny but mature.

Black Dynamite Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 18+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 17+

Good most parents let their kid watch American dad but this is 1000 ti es more marure

Too much violence and language for kids

This title has:

Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
age 18+

Definitely not for kids...

Had never heard of the show. Watching TV late one evening, saw a cartoon with majority African American characters, thought I'd give it a shot. I stupidly fancied thoughts of the HBO series Happily Ever After. Boy was I wrong. Horrified that this show had prostitution, gratuitous violence, sex, profanity, etc. Clearly for adults but on a kids channel cartoon network.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (5):

Irreverent and rampant in stereotypes but undeniably entertaining, the animated version of Black Dynamite ramps up the parodies of the '70s "blaxploitation" films like Shaft as only a cartoon can. Dynamite and his jive-talkin' crew hole up in a hangout "for whores and orphans," they engage in sex with multiple partners, they exact violent justice on anyone they want, and their four-letter language would make saints out of sailors. In other words, they're not the kind of gleaming examples of responsible adulthood you want to present to your kids -- but for its intended adult audience, this over-the-top spoof of the movie genre will have you laughing out loud.

If you're arriving at this cartoon after watching its parent movie, you'll find the plot mostly toes the line set by the original. Because of its decidedly mature content, it's not an age-appropriate choice for most teens, especially if they're not familiar with the films it satirizes. But if yours do tune in, draw their attention to the faint glimmer of sociological value that exists in the racially and socioeconomically charged storyline, which can give way to discussions about race relations, poverty, crime, and drug use.

TV Details

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