Rolie Polie Olie
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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 this imaginative world of robotic friends is colorful and inviting for preschoolers, but may not seem high-tech and flashy enough for older kids and up. Still, it won an Emmy and appeals to many in its target audience.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Surprisingly good.
Rolly-Polly-Tastic!
It's an awesome show for little kids- very creative
What's the story?
In ROLIE POLIE OLIE, Olie (voiced by Cole Caplan) lives with his parents, little sister Zowie (Kristen Bone), and robotic dog Spot (Robert Smith) in a teapot-shaped house with eyes that wink and blink at different pivotal points in the plot. The parents may move like robots, but they're very smooth in their parenting skills, supporting Olie and Zowie to find their own solutions to challenges. At first Olie's parents seem to be perpetuating gender stereotypes, with Mom always in a dress and coiffed hair and Dad wearing a bow-tie, but they're in fact much more contemporary and can rumba their way out of any sticky situation. Olie also has a friend and neighbor, Billy, who looks very different: He's a square-headed robot and lives in a square house with furniture that has edges and corners. Though he looks different, hye and Olie have similar interests and family life. Another colorful character is Olie's rockabilly uncle, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Elvis.
Is it any good?
This is the type of show that parents need to take a breath and watch for a while to appreciate. Yes, the songs will be stuck in your head for the day. But for a very young preschooler, it's funny, not scary, and extremely silly. Okie dokie?
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about many of the issues Olie's family faces, from how to get along with a brother or a sister to what kind of behavior is appropriate at the dinner table. Families can also talk about how much fun it is to use your imagination. What shapes and colors would make up a world all their own?
TV details
- Premiere date: November 6, 1998
- Cast: Cole Caplan, Joshua Tucci, Kristen Bone
- Network: Disney Channel
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Book Characters, Robots
- TV rating: TV-Y
- Available on: DVD, Streaming
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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.