Oddballs

Parents say
Based on 3 reviews
Kids say
Based on 10 reviews
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Oddballs
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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 Oddballs is an animated TV series based on the popular TheOdds1Out YouTube channel. The characters have good intentions and do learn their lesson in the end, but they make plenty of bad decisions along the way. There's lots of violence, injury, and scariness, although most of it is over-the-top cartoonish. An example: Main character Max bleeds out copious amounts of green blood after an evil toaster fires a projectile toast into his stomach. There aren't any real weapons. Main characters feel pain but aren't ever in peril, though there is some implied death, like an electrocuted scuba diver floating lifeless to the surface. Characters argue with each other, and a few episodes feature bullying and mean characters as a plot point. Language-wise, there are no actual curse words but plenty of cursing-adjacent language like "heck yeah," "gosh darn," and "fudge." Some jokes are innuendo-based, like one about "where babies come from" without going into any specifics.
Community Reviews
OddBalls is great but....... My review is more honest then CSM's
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Good show for the older kids
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What's the Story?
In ODDBALLS, two hapless friends try to fix everyday annoyances. Instead, their absurd solutions end up turning small problems into epic disasters. The series is based on the successful YouTube channel TheOdds1Out, and creator James Rallison voices main character James. James, a bubble-shaped boy, lives in an RV with Max, a talking crocodile. They have other fantastical friends, including Echo, a girl who claims to be from the future. Each episode begins with James being pushed over the edge by something small, like a toaster that always burns toast. He decides to fix the problem in a grand way, like inventing a sentient toaster enhanced with AI to solve his toast problem. Inevitably, James doesn't anticipate all of the potential ways his plan could go wrong, and trouble ensues. In the hilarious toaster episode, what starts out as an adorable baby toaster turns into an angry machine that leaves a trail of injury and destruction in its wake. James and Max eventually abandon their plan and clean up their mess, only to start all over again by tackling a new problem in the next episode.
Is It Any Good?
Yes, it's yet another modern version of a tween-boy-skewing Saturday morning cartoon, but don't write off this show too quickly. Some adults may have preferred it if Oddballs didn't have all the typical slapstick violence of this genre. That said, it's hilarious and entertaining, and there are jokes thrown in to keep the grown-ups laughing too. Every episode tackles a salient real-life tween issue, like arguing with friends, being mature enough to have a phone, and becoming too old for the kid menu. James and Max are hapless, but they have good intentions and do apologize for the chaos they create. Grown-ups should note that many kids will be too busy laughing to remember that James and Max are leading by bad example. While Oddballs could be better about not having negative aspects detract from positive life lessons, it's a fun show that families can watch together.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of the Oddballs episode. How do Max and James touch on real troubles kids have, even if they do it in a silly way?
Families can talk about the silly violence in Oddballs. Do you think it makes violence seem less bad to kids when the violence is funny? Why, or why not?
How is the Netflix version of Oddballs different from the YouTube version? Why do you think a major network made those changes rather than staying with the creator's original vision?
TV Details
- Premiere date: October 7, 2022
- Cast: Kimberly Brooks, Julian Gant, James Rallison
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Adventures, Friendship
- TV rating: TV-Y7
- Last updated: December 1, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love animation
Themes & Topics
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