Doug Unplugs
By Emily Ashby,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Robot ditches data downloads to experience life firsthand.
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Doug Unplugs
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What's the Story?
DOUG UNPLUGS follows the excursions of a young robot named Doug (voiced by Brandon James Cienfuegos) who lets his curiosity guide adventures that teach him all about the human world. When Doug encounters a concept that's not familiar, he plugs in to upload data that help him understand it better. Ever one to know more, though, he also turns to his human friend Emma (Kyrie Mcalpin) for experiential help, and together the two of them go on day trips, lend a hand in their community, try sports, and enjoy relationships with the people they meet, always discovering how much more there is to life than just the facts.
Is It Any Good?
Young Doug is an effective reminder to preschoolers of the value of experiencing life firsthand when it's tempting to turn to virtual information sources and call it a day. Doug gets all kinds of facts from his uploads and from his knowledgeably programmed robot friends and family, but he always gets the sense there's something missing from what he learns. What he discovers is that human emotions can't be conveyed by data dumps, and so much of learning comes from experiencing something first hand.
Doug's curiosity drives his adventures, but his gregarious and enthusiastic friend sure does ice the top of that cake. When Emma introduces him to something that she already knows about, she's a motivated guide who makes the experience extra fun. When both of them are learning as they go, they feed off each other's excitement and enjoyment. In so doing, they encourage each other to try unfamiliar things and to see repeat experiences in a new light.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about curiosity. How does asking questions help you learn? Who do you turn to with your questions? What other resources help you gather facts about new subjects?
Kids: What would you tell Doug about the day's adventures that Emma didn't? What other experiences would you like to introduce him to?
What discoveries does Doug make about human emotions? How do you cope with difficult or uncomfortable feelings? What activities inspire happy emotions for you?
TV Details
- Premiere date: November 13, 2020
- Cast: Brandon James Cienfuegos , Kyrie Mcalpin , Eric Bauza
- Network: Apple TV+
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Book Characters , Friendship , Robots
- Character Strengths: Curiosity
- TV rating: TV-Y
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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