Grizzy and the Lemmings

TV review by Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media
Grizzy and the Lemmings Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 6+

Colorful, fast-paced forest fun has some fantasy violence.

Boomerang Kids' Animation 2016
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Parents say

age 7+

Based on 12 reviews

Kids say

age 8+

Based on 7 reviews

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  • Grizzy and the Lemmings TV Series: Grizzy is about to eat a fish.
  • Grizzy and the Lemmings TV Series: The lemmings cheer each other on.
  • Grizzy and the Lemmings TV Series: The lemmings drive a motorized bike as Grizzy chases after them

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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 Grizzy and the Lemmings is an animated series about the life of a bear and his lemming "friends." It has lots of fast-paced action and funny moments, but can push the envelope a bit with fantasy violence of the Looney Tunes variety -- things like dropping heavy items on lemmings' heads, crashing through glass windows, etc. Most of the antics featured backfire in some way, and no one gets hurt, but some of it may be too much for younger kids.

Community Reviews

Treehouse Parent
Treehouse Parent Adult
January 22, 2022
age 5+

Mindless violence, revenge, no redeeming value

With so many possibilities out there, this one is better passed up. When I choose "I think it's for kids age 5 and up" I mean that I believe that is the targeted audience. However, I don't think it is a good fit for any age group if one is hoping for a shred of enriching content.

This title has:

Too much violence
3 people found this helpful.
Spokane Grandfather
Spokane Grandfather Adult
January 22, 2022
age 12+

Violence - revengeful, gratuitous and abusive

Today the 7-year-old asked to watch this show. He says they are being allowed to watch this at lunch in his public school classroom. He wanted us to watch Grizzy and the Lemmings: Camping in the Wild (season 2, episode 1). At 1 minute 24 seconds a camouflaged military weapons train appears and a cruise missile (labelled 3M-13, oddly similar in designation to a real-life Russian missile called 3M-14) is deployed through the top of the box-car before being launched at a partridge. The partridge is missed but the ranger house in which the bear is sleeping is blown to smithereens and incinerated. Apparently this is what is euphemistically called "fantasy violence" but it appears beyond the pale to me in a world or real life missile strikes destroying schools, hospitals, villages and people, including children. With so very much available from which to choose, I see no reason why a parent would choose to allow a child to watch this. The comments at this website about this program written by children themselves -- some of them siblings of younger children -- are especially revealing in that more than one would not allow their sibling to watch it if were it up to them and observes the negative effects on the sibling's behavior. In the end a parent may decide their child needs this sort of mindless, gratuitous violence (it is the over-riding plot structure) but it certainly should not be offered to students in public schools as idle entertainment.

This title has:

Too much violence
2 people found this helpful.
See all 12 parent reviews

What's the Story?

GRIZZY AND THE LEMMINGS is a French children’s animated series about the antics of a grizzly bear and some lemmings. Grizzy (Pierre-Alain de Garrigues) lives in a park ranger’s home in the Canadian forest. Life is usually good in the woods, unless the gang of little furry rodents (Josselin Charier) find their way into his home and make trouble.

Is It Any Good?

This fun French import features the Minion-like lemmings creating all sorts of chaos for their grizzly bear neighbor. From using Grizzy’s refrigerator as a cooling device on a hot summer day, to stealing his Yummy Bear spread, they all seem determined to take what they want. Unfortunately, Grizzy often uses tactics to reclaim his space, and his property, that backfire on all of them.

Grizzy and the Lemmings also contains a fair amount of fantasy violence, like purposely smashing heavy boxes on lemmings, running through glass windows, and imagining getting whacked in the head with a metal bar and knocked out. None of the anthropomorphic animals are hurt, but a few of these moments are a little much for younger children. But it’s colorful, fast-paced, and full of humor, all characteristics that make the series highly entertaining.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the lemmings' behavior. Are they trying to be mean? Are there better ways for Grizzy to resolve his issues with them?

  • Like many animated shows, Grizzy and the Lemmings features lots of fantasy violence. When does this type of activity cross the line when it comes to kids? How can you tell?

TV Details

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