MECH-X4
Parents say
Based on 1 review
Kids say
Based on 11 reviews
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MECH-X4
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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 MECH-X4 is an action comedy series about a teen who pilots a giant robot to protect his city with the help of his best friends and brother. Though short on originality, the story has strong themes of friendship, teamwork, and realizing individual potential. It also has oversized monsters of different shapes and sizes, and they put the characters at risk. Intense battles ensue between them and the Mech-X4 robot, with lots of slashing, punching, and crashing. Some adult characters have ulterior motives while they plot against the main characters and the city's population as a whole. A diverse cast and some tween-friendly humor round out this decent action series.
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What's the Story?
Ryan Walker's (Nathaniel J. Potvin) life gets notably more interesting the day he realizes he's a technopath and can control machines with his mind. It has its perks, like scoring free snacks from a vending machine, but when he inadvertently awakens a giant robot called MECH-X4, he becomes his hometown's only hope against monsters that target Bay City and the duplicitous forces behind them. He recruits his best friends, Harris (Kamran Lucas) and Spyder (Pearce Joza), and his older brother, Mark (Raymond Alexander Cham Jr.), to help him maneuver Mech-X4 through the battles that ensue. Together the teens also work to uncover the secrets behind the robot and Ryan's connection to it.
Is It Any Good?
Its visual effects won't win any accolades, but this action-packed show maintains intrigue well enough to tempt return viewers of the tween variety. Intense battle scenes are the highlight of each episode, and it's anybody's guess what the monster of the day will look like, which makes it fun. Each encounter challenges the Mech-X4 team -- and their friendships -- in new ways, but in every case the experience has an overall positive effect on them going forward.
With action and humor dominating the forefront of the show, mystery lurks in the background. There's the evolving story of who's behind the attempted destruction of Bay City and why, as well as the collection of clues to Ryan's destiny as Mech-X4's pilot. Ultimately this is what will encourage fans to keep coming back to the slow reveal in this palatable action comedy series.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about heroes and what defines them and whether there are examples of heroes in MECH-X4. Can a person be courageous with their words and ideals instead of with their fists? Who are some of your kids' role models, and why?
What challenges exist when you work as a team? To what degree must you set aside your own goals to meet the group's? What makes a good leader? Is that a position your kids like?
When he discovers he's a technopath and tasked with saving his town, Ryan's focus must be more selfless. Is it difficult to put other people's needs before your own? What are the rewards of doing so?
TV Details
- Premiere date: November 12, 2016
- Cast: Nathaniel J. Potvin, Kamran Lucas, Pearce Joza
- Network: Disney XD
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Superheroes, High School, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires, Robots
- Character Strengths: Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-Y7-FV
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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