Robot and Monster
- Network: Nickelodeon
- Genre: Kids' Animation
What parents need to know
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Robot and Monster is a hilarious animated series that celebrates friendship and explores kid-related issues with comedy and quirkiness. The title characters work hard to set aside their differences and relate to each other, and they find that it's easier to face the troubles they have as a team rather than alone. Each story includes a lesson about being a good friend, overcoming fear, or some other issue that kids will relate to. Expect some cartoon violence (explosions, robot combustion, etc.) and allusions to male characters' affection for a busty female. Bathroom humor includes farting noises, vomiting, burping, and mention of "number two."
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What's the story?
In ROBOT AND MONSTER, the title characters are best friends, roommates, and coworkers at the Blinking Light Factory. Robot (voiced by Curtis Armstrong) is a Mechanical who takes a serious view of the world and frets over just about everything. By contrast, Organic Monster (Harland Williams) is lighthearted and goofy, finding fun in every situation and always taking a positive view of the world. Together these unlikely pals share a friendship that sees them through their ups and downs, including their like-minded crushes on J.D. (Megan Hilty); the influence of Robot's arrogant older brother, Gart (Maurice LaMarche); and their irritating third wheel, Ogo (Jonathan Slavin).
Is it any good?
Opposites truly do attract in this lively, laugh-out-loud CGI series that offers kids a wonderful portrayal of a friendship that triumphs against all odds. Robot and Monster couldn't be less alike, yet somehow their relationship brings out the best in each of them and helps them through the troubles that pop up in their daily lives. Many of the show's laughs are rooted in the main characters' polar-opposite personalities, which cause plenty of mishaps and exacerbate others that befall them, but it's the moments when the two come to a mutual understanding that take the cake for sweetness and make a lasting impression on kids.
Here's even more good news: The assorted cast of supporting characters lets viewers see Robot and Monster deal with issues like bullying and overcoming fears in lighthearted, non-threatening situations, so their messages can reach a range of ages. Of course, that assumes that your kids will pick up on all of the dialogue, which might be tough given that the show's top-notch writing is sure to leave them in stitches while they watch.
Families can talk about...
Families can talk about relationships. Are some friendships harder than others to maintain? What issues can create problems between friends? What are some good ways to handle these kinds of differences?
Kids: How do this show's creators carry through the "robot" and "monster" themes in other characters and in their surroundings? Is one group better represented than another? How do these characters compare to those in some of your other favorite shows?
Which characters are negative influences on Robot and Monster? How/why? How does it affect your behavior when you're influenced in a bad way by someone else? Is it hard to overcome this kind of pressure?
TV details
| Premiere date: | December 8, 2012 |
| Cast: | Curtis Armstrong, Harland Williams, Maurice LaMarche |
| Network: | Nickelodeon |
| Genre: | Kids' Animation |
| Topics: | Friendship, Great boy role models, Monsters, ghosts, and vampires, Robots |
| TV rating: | TV-Y7 |
| Available on: | Streaming |
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