City Island
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City Island
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that City Island is a series of 3-minute animated shorts. Each civic-minded episode is set in the urban background of City Island, which is populated by animated buildings, vehicles, and other objects, and has a simple positive message like the importance of teamwork and winning isn't everything. The main character (a young lightbulb named Watt) and his friends care about their city and often work together to help improve it. Characters sometimes get frightened and things like aliens or monsters are brought up, but it never lasts for long. Parts of the island are plagued by litter and pollution, making the characters sad.
What's the Story?
In CITY ISLAND, a light bulb named Watt, along with his friends who are a marker, a kite, a baseball hat, and a bike, all live in City Island, an urban landscape populated by lots of other animated objects. In each 3-minute episode, the crew explores a different part of their island and learns about what it takes for a big city to run properly.
Is It Any Good?
This series blends modern short form content with playfully vintage animation to achieve appealing results. It's a nice change that City Island not only takes place in an urban setting, but also thoughtfully explores what it takes to make cities function at a level that's appropriate to young children. The personification of every part of the city, from the buildings to the amusement park rides, not only makes it feel alive (quite literally), but also lends a welcoming and friendly feel to the bustling atmosphere. Each tiny episode has a simple message that's easy for kids to digest, and there are lots of interesting, multi-generational characters that bring their own value. In one episode, for example, the kids visit their grandparents' retirement home and learn to have fun without video games. Young viewers will be enthralled as characters explore some of the hallmarks of big cities, such as libraries, museums, and airports, and may be inspired to explore their own community more too.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what the City Island characters show us about being a good friend or member of the community. What do we do in our family to help our community?
How do you think the personification of the everything in City Island makes the city feel?
How do Watt and his friends display teamwork? Why is this an important character trait?
TV Details
- Premiere date: December 26, 2022
- Cast: Kimiko Glenn, James Adomian
- Network: PBS Kids
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Adventures
- Character Strengths: Curiosity, Teamwork
- TV rating: NR
- Last updated: January 5, 2023
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