Parents' Guide to

Rocko's Modern Life

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Modern and funny, but edgy content isn't for young kids.

Rocko's Modern Life Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

age 10+

Based on 30 parent reviews

age 18+

This is so inappropriate and vulgar!

I watched the first two episodes of this disgusting "children's" show. The first episode has scenes of graphic, bloody violence. The second episode's title is a clear pun on "Who Gives a F***?", the third episode is BLATANTLY sexual in nature with Rocko's neighbor trying to have sex with him, and the fourth one has a NUDIST PARTY! NOT FOR CHILDREN!

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
1 person found this helpful.
age 10+

Mostly slapstick, Too much testy peevishness

Mostly slapstick, Too much testy peevishness. The cartoonists seem to project too much of their own dysfunctional background into the series as (perhaps) their own therapy (eg 'The Fatheads'). Beside simplistic slapstick gags like "popping eyeballs", it contains little depth or cleverness for kids or adults. Suggest viewers check out 'golden age' animation like Merry Melodies / Looney tunes.
1 person found this helpful.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (30):
Kids say (49):

Rocko's Modern Life isn't your run-of-the-mill kids' cartoon, thanks to a fair amount of edgy content. True, most of the sexual innuendoes and euphemisms will sail over very young kids' heads, and the worst of them actually were censored during the show's original run, but the same isn't true for more worldly tweens, who will pick up on the grown-up humor. This certainly isn't the first cartoon to push the envelope on content, and its content isn't as ribald as, say, South Park, but the iffy stuff has enough of a presence to warrant some thought on your part. There is some merit to how the stories promote tolerance among its vastly different characters, but even that is often lost in the overall quirkiness.

That said, this is a very funny show that's bound to be appreciated by anyone who notices its pop-culture references and satirical commentary on American society mixed in with Rocko's absurd struggles that make for plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Allusions to TV shows like Star Trek, movies like Citizen Kane, and eateries like Kentucky Fried Chicken; poking fun at gross consumerism and the technological revolution; and, yes, those same hints at sexuality make for funny times when viewed through the eyes of a teen or adult.

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate