RollBots
By Will Wade,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Robotic balls roll, race, and battle evil in so-so 'toon.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
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What's the Story?
Flip (voiced by Sam Vincent) is the newest member of the Spin City Police Department -- and the fastest of all the ROLLBOTS in town. These rolling robotic spheres zip and flip down the city’s track-like streets, sprouting arms, legs, and heads when they're at rest. Excited, eager, and energetic, Flip makes up for his lack of experience with enough bravery and enthusiasm to give him an edge when he takes on the evil Vertex (Colin Murdock) and his henchmen.
Is It Any Good?
It’s the rolling ball characters that are supposed to make RollBots unique, and watching these spheres with faces zipping across the screen is certainly something that doesn’t appear on any other kids’ show. But it’s tough to make a series about robots that frankly look a lot like marbles speeding down a track -- not exactly the kind of characters with which young viewers will identify. They seem more appealing when their arms and legs pop out, but those scenes lack the action that carries the program.
As a result, the show seems to have two distinct personalities: one fast-moving but very mechanized and the other with appealing robotic characters that lacks action. It might be confusing for kids to keep track.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why the characters were given human-like traits. Do you think kids find it easier to identify with characters that seem more like people? Can you think of any TV characters that appear completely non-human?
Does the show's animated action/violence seem less serious because the characters aren't actually human?
The residents of Flip City are divided into several tribes, whose members generally work in a single field. Do you think people should be born into a specific career path? What can that lead to?
TV Details
- Premiere date: February 7, 2009
- Cast: Colin Murdock, Gary Chalk, Sam Vincent
- Network: CW
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Adventures, Robots
- TV rating: TV-Y7
- Last updated: September 20, 2019
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