Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Animated retellings have broad appeal but some iffy stuff.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Celebrity Animal Encounters
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In CELEBRITY ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS, stars from the entertainment, music, and athletic fields share personal stories of experiences with animals that remain fresh in their memories. There's Aimee Teegarden's inspiring tale about her mom's dramatic rescue of an injured seagull, Moby's chance discovery of a tiny kitten that needed a miracle to survive, and Kristen Bell's once-in-a-lifetime birthday celebration with her favorite animal, the sloth. As the tellers recall their tales, animated re-imaginings of the events play on the screen.
Is It Any Good?
As with any collection of yarns, these stories are only as good as the person recounting them, so some are more captivating than others. The addition of cartoon visuals, which often exaggerate caricatures and events for comical effect, goes a long way in making all of them more interesting to watch and hear than straight narration would be.
Celebrity Animal Encounters is the kind of show that is fun for the whole family, especially when viewers are familiar with the stars who participate. Occasional language and some wink-wink moments that hint at sexy subjects aside, the show's mostly innocuous content and heartwarming feels about the human-animal relationship will appeal to range of ages and interests.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the relationship between humans and animals. Do the Celebrity Animal Encounters stories change the impression you have of how people and animals relate? Are there human qualities in some animals? How do animals enhance and, in some cases, help protect our lives?
Would this series be as intriguing if the story tellers weren't recognizable celebrities? Which ones did you know before watching? Is it fun to see stars in unscripted roles? Are you more interested in their work now that you've seen them in this show?
Even though the stories focus on animals, they reveal something about each of the tellers. In which cases did you notice character strengths like courage, resilience, or compassion? Who do you know who might respond in a similar way to that same scenario?
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 27, 2018
- Cast : Kristen Bell , Al Roker , Kate Micucci
- Network : Animal Planet
- Genre : Reality TV
- Topics : Animals ( Wild Animals )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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