The Smurfs
By Joly Herman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Reboot of '80s show focuses on pratfalls, not clever plots.
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The Smurfs
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What's the Story?
In a magical village in the forest, there lives a community of tiny blue gnomes called THE SMURFS. They work together to build their mushroom houses, play games, and enjoy smurfing good times. Papa Smurf (voiced by Davis Freeman) keeps a stern and fatherly eye on the inhabitants of the community, where everyone has a special characteristic. Brainy Smurf (Youssef El Kaouakibi) is smart, Clumsy Smurf (Tess Bryant) is clumsy, Smurfette (Bérangére McNeese) is ... a girl Smurf. But watch out for Gargamel the local wizard (Mark Irons), who wants to capture and control the Smurfs. Can Papa Smurf keep his community free from danger? Or will Gargamel win the day?
Is It Any Good?
What was once novel and exciting about this franchise feels like it's lost its special blue sparkle. This version of The Smurfs is fast-moving, and the action is constant, but a little more time spent developing the characters might have benefited the plotlines. Gags feel old, adventures have lost their novelty. There might be a few more girl characters in this reboot, but the flirty kisses on the cheek that Smurfette doles out are still happening all these years later. There's just not as much heart in this show as there once was. Papa Smurf is cranky, like, all the time.
Kids might giggle at wordplay using "smurf" as a part of speech, but parents will lose interest pretty quickly. This newest installment of The Smurfs franchise relies too much on the recognition of a unique idea and doesn't offer much that's new.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about comic violence in cartoons like The Smurfs. Nobody really gets hurt when Smurfs fall or something explodes. Does seeing violence in media have an impact on how you feel?
TV shows that market to kids are common. Does it make you want to buy things when you watch shows?
Smurfette is an assertive female Smurf who's surrounded by guy Smurfs. What do you notice about girl characters and how they're represented in other shows you watch?
TV Details
- Premiere date: September 10, 2021
- Cast: Davis Freeman , Youssef El Kaoukibi , Bérangére McNeese
- Network: Nickelodeon
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Friendship
- TV rating: TV-Y
- Last updated: July 30, 2023
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