Parents' Guide to

Dave the Barbarian

By Pam Gelman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

All muscle, no depth; OK, but kids can do better.

TV Disney Channel Kids' Animation 2004
Dave the Barbarian 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 8+

Based on 2 parent reviews

valravnknight
valravnknight Adult
February 17, 2016
age 6+

Missing the point

Many others focus on the educational value of the show; however, before you jump to conclusions I ask you to consider the type of show. Dave the Barbarian is a comedy. The focus lies in clever humor, from visual gags to clever wordplay, the show tries its best to subvert your expectations. It takes tropes and changes them. The main appears to be a muscle-bound warrior, but is instead very sensitive and loves crafts. His sisters have their own quirks, the eldest can be seen as a stereotype but usually finds her own way to solve problems. The younger is the opposite of her older brother, small but quick to anger. It suffers from its own faults, sometimes jokes fail or the story doesn't work, but in the end it tries hard and helps to expand a child's experience with different forms of humor.
afdtyfsyfgey
afdtyfsyfgey Parent of 9-year-old
November 15, 2010
age 10+
this shhow is so boring and they fight a lot of times.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Despite his foreboding bod, DAVE THE BARBARIAN (voiced by Danny Cooksey) prefers to settle disputes with discussion, do origami and perfect his gourmet cooking. Dave is portrayed as wimpy because of his preference for talking over fighting and for his fear of monsters, rampaging giant muffins, and Chuckles the Pig (Dave's arch enemy). He and his sisters, Candy (Erica Luttrell) and Fang (Tress MacNeille), are left in charge of their Middle Ages castle while their parents are off battling evil. Princess Candy, the oldest and therefore crowned princess, would much rather hang out at the mall or chase a prince from a nearby kingdom. Fang is the youngest sister, who is continually compared to a monkey and finds great pleasure in smashing things. Other characters include the sorcerer Uncle Oswidge (Kevin Michael Richardson), enchanted sword Lula (Estelle Harris), and pet dragon Faffy (Frank Welker).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (4):

The medieval backdrop carries its own mystique and offers a chance for interesting storylines and characters. But unfortunately, Dave the Barbarian is nonsensical and chaotic. The animation jumps around quickly, making it hard for kids to think twice about what's happening. There are certainly better quality choices for kids to relax, have some down time, and share a giggle.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what their kids think about the mixed message the show sends -- that settling disputes with discussion is better than using violence, all the while portraying Dave as a wimp for not fighting. Are the female characters role models in any way?

TV Details

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