Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil

TV review by Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media
Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 8+

Danger-prone cartoon offers little value to kids.

Disney XD Kids' Animation 2010
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Parents say

age 9+

Based on 22 reviews

Kids say

age 8+

Based on 65 reviews

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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 this pointless cartoon totally misses the mark for kids. Kick lives in a fantasy world where responsibility and respect for authority take a backseat to danger and adventure, and his risky actions never result in any physical harm or discipline, as they would in real life. His older brother bullies him with name-calling and teasing, and Kick treats his best friend with similar disrespect. Potty humor abounds (not too surprising, considering that the show's title is Kick Buttowski...), and while there's no traditionally iffy language, Kick uses some obvious pseudo-curse words on a regular basis ("oh, biscuits," for instance).

Community Reviews

mmmb
mmmb Adult
July 26, 2019
age 7+

Grew up watching the show, parents are being too harsh!

I am currently a 22 y/o who watched and adored this show as a child about a decade ago. I will start off by saying that parents are expecting too much out of this show and are quick to judge this WAY out of proportion. I see a similar argument of this show being “too violent with no lessons learned and pointless plot lines and no sort of educational value.” If you want to watch a children’s show for educational value then I suggest searching for a cartoon that is specifically aimed for that kind of presentation. The kinds of children’s programs such as Kick Buttowski are meant to be fun, lighthearted, and is definitely a classic among many early 2000s children growing up watching it like myself. If parents are so frightened by the recklessness of Kick Buttowski and are looking for safe and educational value from this show, they’re not going to get it. Children are allowed to watch shows like this. If parents are so concerned about their children learning bad behaviors from shows like this, then they need to reconsider their priorities. The parents should be teaching their children the difference between right and wrong, and fantasy and real life. It’s not Kick Buttowski’s job to babysit your kids. He’s meant to entertain them and maybe become a fraction of their childhoods they’ll treasure. This show has some real heart and some very good written episodes. So parents, stop being so hard on a harmless kids show. It’s not going to teach your child anything.
FreezeDollar
FreezeDollar Adult
May 6, 2019
age 10+

My Thoughts

It's THE BEST DISNEY XD SHOW!
See all 22 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Clarence "Kick" Buttowski (voiced by Charlie Schlatter) aspires to greatness, though not as a ball player or a dancer or any of the professions that usually entice youngsters. Instead Kick has his sights set on the noble career of daredevil -- and even at his young age, he's dedicated to mastering the craft. Famous for turning every obstacle into an opportunity, Kick and his friend Gunther (Matt L. Jones) traverse their hometown in search of potential training grounds, tackling each new challenge with equal parts guts and gusto.

Is It Any Good?

Superficial at best, KICK BUTTOWSKI: SUBURBAN DAREDEVIL is barely more than a hollow shell of action and adventure that offers little substantial content to support its structure. The show is so unrealistic that kids probably won't even relate to Kick's unlimited free time, absence of responsible authority figures, and superhuman ability to withstand extreme blunt-force trauma.

What's more, they're bound to pick up on the varying degrees of bullying the show presents as comedy, and the prevalent potty humor does little to offset any of this negative behavior. Sure, kids don't necessarily seek out character or plot development in the cartoons they watch, but with so many choices for out there for them, there's good reason to pass this one by.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can discuss coping with challenges. Kids: How do you respond when faced with difficult circumstances? Who do you turn to for guidance? How do you respond if you don't succeed?

  • Kids: What do you think of the violence in this show? What might happen if someone tried Kick's stunts in real life? Do cartoons send the wrong message about the repercussions of dangerous activities?

  • Kids: How does this series compare to some of your favorite cartoons? Did you like the characters and the story? Did you learn anything from watching?

TV Details

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