Jacques Cousteau's Ocean Tales

The characters' expeditions often bring them close to danger from the elements or the creatures they encounter, facing off with predators such as crocodiles and sharks in their underwater explorations. Diving also brings its own moments of peril, though the ending is always happy all around. There's also a supernatural aspect to some of the stories, which incorporate spiritual forces that sometimes threaten the characters. The show doesn’t shy away from the harsh reality of nature, so some animals are shown being killed and eaten by predators.

In stories that incorporate new cultures, indigenous people are shown in customary dress, which sometimes reveal more than Western customs typically do. In one, for instance, women wear shirts that cover only their breasts and some of their backs, and everyone dons a tunic that's slit up each side to the waist, showing the sides of their buttocks. There's nothing sexual or graphic about it, though.

Parents need to know that Jacques Cousteau's Ocean Tales introduces kids to the concept of sea exploration and a vast array of ocean creatures and their habits. An animated Cousteau is the senior member of the expedition team, but the stories evolve more through the eyes of the younger characters on-board the ship, which makes it more relatable for kids. The show makes a laudable attempt to be realistic in how it presents the animals, their habits, and the crew's exploration process, so even in its cartoon format, perilous situations (diving emergencies, encounters with predators) can be worrisome for youngsters. The characters' travels also introduce kids to different places and the cultures of the people who live there, numerous scientific terms, and the occasional seafaring legend or two.