Parents' Guide to

Bobby's World

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Saturday morning '90s favorite charming, but a bit violent.

TV Fox Kids' Animation 1990
Bobby's World 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 3+

Based on 1 parent review

Bobby A.
Bobby A. Adult
May 10, 2022
age 3+

Poor character design.

Was forced to watch this so so stuff in Middle School never liked it, also the character creeps me out a bit.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Inspired by a voice comedian Howie Mandell used to use in his standup routines, BOBBY'S WORLD follows the adventures of an imaginative 4-year-old who escapes the everyday with vivid flights of fancy. He lives with his mother and father, 14-year-old sister Kelly and 10-year-old brother Derek, all of whom carry on regular lives of trips to relative's houses, school, work and family meals. But though Bobby is there in body, his mind travels far away: into space, into underwater adventures, into a dystopian future where he's a spy. Live action introductions with Mandell begin every animated adventure.

Is It Any Good?

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

Bobby's World boasts truly hideous animation, a creepy-looking main character, annoying music and fakey-fake voices. Still, for all that, it still has something, all these years after it first began airing as a Saturday morning cartoon in 1990. Bobby's fantasies are appealingly bizarre and reference a crazy number of topics, from Japanese monster movies to To Kill a Mockingbird.

The minute Bobby's snaps out of one of his fantasies, things aren't quite as fun. Parents won't appreciate Bobby's mean and shallow siblings, nor how stereotyped and clueless Bobby's parents are. Still, parents who themselves grew up on Bobby's World may want to give this one a try with their own young kids, and may find they love it just as much as they ever did.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Bobby's brother and sister are so mean to him. Why don't Bobby's parents protect him from the insults and shoves? Are siblings in real life that mean to their little brothers or sisters?

  • Do you ever have fantasies like Bobby does? What kinds of scenarios do you picture? Do Bobby's fantasies look like yours?

  • Are viewers supposed to like Bobby? What about Kelly? Derek? Bobby's mom and dad? What about the way their characters are presented gives you this impression?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

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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