Parents' Guide to

Stakes

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Beautiful moody miniseries is too dark for younger viewers.

TV Cartoon Network Kids' Animation 2015
Stakes Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 5+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Lebron12James3
Lebron12James3 Parent
January 18, 2022
age 2+

12%

Pizza G.
Pizza G. Adult
June 14, 2017
age 8+

Brilliant series explores complex backstories, troubled characters

Like Adventure Time itself, Stakes manages to display breathtaking visuals and ideas while also maintaining a sense of fun and humor. As always, characters and story are superb, and the only things that might make it an iffy choice for particularly young kids are a few scary moments and some cartoonish violence.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Based on the world and characters of the animated series Adventure Time, eight-part miniseries STAKES centers on Marceline the Vampire Queen (Olivia Olson) as she struggles with her past and identity. Tired of the eternal life her vampire nature has given her, Marceline attempts to become human again with the help of science and Princess Bubblegum (Hynden Walch). But the process has an unexpected side effect: The powers she absorbed from her five greatest foes causes them to return to fearsome life. Now with the help of Princess Bubblegum, Finn (Jeremy Shada), and his brother/dog Jake (John DiMaggio), Marceline must slay these "ghosts" from her past to live happily in the present.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (4 ):

Visually psychedelic, thematically mature, and filled with arresting characters in unusual situations, this miniseries is something special for tweens and up but too dark for younger kids. On Adventure Time, Marceline was an impish frenemy to Finn and Jake and a minor character good for a few sassy lines -- who knew this tragedy of a life was hidden beneath her cheeky vibe? The eight-part Stakes picks up after the apocalyptic Great Mushroom War, which sets the stage for a series of abandonments that render Marceline a solitary, sad, yet powerful figure.

The five vampires who return after Marceline chooses to become human again are clear metaphors for the sorrows of her past; her fight to lay them to rest is a heroine's quest with powerful allegorical meaning. Though this miniseries is too dark (and a bit depressing, despite the occasional burst of absurdity) for younger viewers, tweens, teens, and even adults will relate to her struggle. This is great family watching (especially for moms and daughters) for animation fans.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Marceline's plight: eternal life that has her abandoned over and over again by mortals. Would you like to live forever? Why, or why not?

  • What characters from Adventure Time appear in Stakes? Which don't? Why do you think they were chosen to play a role?

  • Why do you think Stakes is a miniseries instead of a story arc on Adventure Time?

TV Details

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