Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Frenetic '80s cult fave with stereotypes hasn't aged well.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Based on 36 kid reviews
Kids say the show is a nostalgic favorite for many, citing its charm and humor, especially in the live-action segments, but it suffers from poor voice acting and questionable animation quality. While it appeals to younger audiences and fans of the video games, some viewers criticize its repetitive plots and inadequate villain portrayal, making it hit or miss for older viewers.
- nostalgia
- charm
- poor quality
- repetitive plots
- suitable for kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Just like the video game series from which it was inspired, THE SUPER MARIO BROS. SUPER SHOW features the antics of a pair of Italian brothers, Mario (Captain Lou Albano) and Luigi (Danny Wells). In live-action segments, the brothers play host to a series of famous guest stars having plumbing problems: Cyndi Lauper, Vanna White, Eve Plumb. Between the live-action segments that bookend each show, animated versions of Mario and Luigi go on wacky adventures, often satirizing a then-current movie, such as when Mario and Luigi end up in a Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Old West town, or Two Plumbers and a Baby (Three Men and a Baby). In the animated segments, the brothers are often rescuing Princess Toadstool, a gentle royal constantly kidnapped by reptilian villain King Koopa and his evil henchmen.
Is It Any Good?
Current thirtysomethings weaned on a Saturday-morning diet of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show seem to have an inordinate fondness for it, but it's hard to see the appeal these days. Parents in particular will be turned off by the rampant Italian stereotypes, frantic pace of the show, the maddening and ever-present videogame music, and, worst of all, the passivity of Princess Toadstool, who calls helplessly for rescue in almost every show.
All that being said, the guest stars are often interesting, if not celebrities that modern kids will recognize. Norman Fell (Three's Company) and Eve Plumb (The Brady Bunch)? What seven-year-old would know these hoary stars? Nonetheless, young gamers obsessed with Mario (and they are legion) will appreciate the show, and parents may get a giggle out of the '80s fashions on display: big puffy white sneakers and giant hoop earrings abound.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why Princess Toadstool seems to always need rescuing. Why can't she rescue herself? Why is she so easily trapped by King Koopa and his minions? In real life, do women often need to be rescued by men?
After watching The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, what impressions do you have of Italian people? What do they wear? What do they eat? Do you know any Italian people in real life? Do they act like Luigi and Mario?
When originally aired, the Super Mario Bros. Super Show used popular music instead of game music. Do you know why the show's creators replaced the original music? Does the chiming game music now used in the show bother you? Or do you like it?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 4, 1989
- Cast : Captain Lou Albano , Danny Wells
- Network : qubo
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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