Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
'90s characters again delight tots with gentle adventures.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Teletubbies (2016)
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 13 kid reviews
Kids say this show has elicited strong emotions, with some claiming it's terrifying and traumatizing due to its content, while others find the reboot enjoyable and entertaining for young children. Mixed reactions highlight concerns over educational value and censorship from parents, with many arguing it holds little to no educational merit.
- creepy content
- mixed reviews
- not educational
- fun for toddlers
- nostalgia factor
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
The colorful British characters who first made their mark on tots in the late '90s return to TV in an updated version of TELETUBBIES. Tinky Winky (Jeremiah Krage), Laa-Laa (Rebecca Hyland), Dipsy (Nick Chee Ping Kellington), and Po (Rachelle Beinart) pick up right where they left off, playing, exploring, and being generally silly in the magical Teletubbyland. With touchscreen bellies that play videos of real children engaged in everyday activities, the Teletubbies learn by performing similar tasks with magical results in their own world. A narrator (Daniel Rigby) puts words to their actions, and the sun (with a baby's face in the center) rises and sets on their days.
Is It Any Good?
Subtlety rules the day in the changes to this series, but the show's focus on play and adventure, and the general sense of childish delight that marked the original, still stand out. The Teletubbies remain somewhat polarizing characters who are magnetic to very young kids but often unpalatable to their parents, and therein lies the rub. Because the show is geared toward babies and toddlers, and it's often off-putting to parents, it's not prime watch-together fare.
That said, the Teletubbies are the colorful, plush embodiment of childhood joy, finding happiness in simple experiences such as splashing in puddles, running in the grass, and laughing together. Their curiosity about the world helps them learn new things, and they're gentle and kind with one another. Kids certainly could do worse as far as role models are concerned.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what makes the Teletubbies the same and what makes them different. What do they also have in common with the children in their videos? With you?
The Teletubbies are an active bunch, forever hopping, rolling, running, and jumping around. Encourage your kids to mimic what they see the characters do on the screen. Why is it important to stay active? How does exercising make you feel?
How do the characters show that they're friends? What small expressions of kindness can you share with your family and friends?
TV Details
- Premiere date : May 30, 2016
- Cast : Rebecca Hyland , Jeremiah Krage , Rachelle Beinart
- Network : Nick Jr.
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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