Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Animation, live action, crude humor in entertaining show.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Kirby Buckets
What's the Story?
KIRBY BUCKETS centers on a 13-year-old aspiring animator named Kirby Buckets (Jacob Bertrand) who jumps at the chance of a lifetime to compete in a character-design contest and meet his idol, cartoon creator Mac MacCallister (Michael Daniel Cassady). But catastrophes are par for the course for him and his best friends Eli (Cade Sutton) and Fish (Mekai Curtis), and he has to deal with the nagging of his older sister, Dawn (Olivia Stuck), who resents that he uses her for inspiration in some of his caricatures and will do anything to get him in trouble with their parents. Lucky for him, he has a following of his animated characters who show up from time to time to join in on the fun, which is always good for some laughs.
Is It Any Good?
Kirby Buckets takes style inspiration from the likes of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, blending animation and live-action characters enhanced by modern technological effects. The result is a vibrant, fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining visual treat sure to appeal to its target audience of grade-school boys. Kirby's animated friends -- whom only he and the viewers can see -- are a motley crew of the curious and bizarre, but that's just because they reflect the imagination of this particular demographic.
The series spends decidedly less effort on the complexity of its content than it does on enticing viewers with its unique look, though. The characters and their experiences are fairly superficial, and their adventures are more like something out of a comic book than they are relatable to real life, so there aren't any standout life lessons to be found here. Of course, none of that will matter to your kids, who will be too busy enjoying the ride to care about whether they're learning anything from Kirby and his pals.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about this show's unique look. Do the animated characters add anything to the plot, or are they just there for show? Do they ever distract from the story? Why do we not see more shows and movies like this?
What do you make of Kirby's relationship with Dawn? Are sibling relationships more often cast in a positive or negative light on TV? How do your kids' experiences with siblings differ?
In what ways does Kirby draw inspiration for his characters from the people around him? What is the difference between laughing at someone and laughing with him? Does Kirby's artwork ever cross that line, or is it all in good fun?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 20, 2014
- Cast : Jacob Bertrand , Cade Sutton , Mekai Curtis
- Network : Disney XD
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , School ( High School )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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