Common Sense Media Review
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Scooby-Doo meets Beverly Hills 90210.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Totally Spies
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
Based on 25 kid reviews
Kids say the show is a nostalgic favorite, praised for its fun spy themes and strong female leads, with characters embodying various positive traits despite some critiques about superficiality and repetitive boy-crazy behaviors. However, concerns are raised about the show's implied messages regarding fashion and relationships, alongside mixed opinions on the quality of voice acting and occasional use of slang, which some find off-putting.
- nostalgic favorite
- strong female leads
- fun spy themes
- mixed opinions
- superficiality concerns
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Scooby-Doo meets Beverly Hills, 90210 in cotton candy cartoon TOTALLY SPIES. The action takes place at Beverly Hills High School, but the girls are so often whisked away from school that being at school is so not even the point. What makes this series as catchy as a pop song has to do with the mysteries that the girls must solve -- and they often find themselves in places like Madrid or the Alps, which gives the show the slightest bit of international cred. Much like Velma and Daphne of the Scooby series, the girls have to use their ingenuity to solve the mysteries.
Is It Any Good?
Totally Spies was first introduced on ABC in 2001, and, to its credit, it's garnered some staying power. Perhaps it's the manga-style animation, or the cool spy gadgets that viewers enjoy. But there is something charming about Totally Spies lying under the shallow façade. Whether viewers should subject themselves to the annoying dialogue to find the deeper stuff is up to their discretion. We think it's a decent show to catch once in a while, but anything more regular might give viewers the like, slightest headache.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the show's use of slang ("totally," "so not," "like," "you know," etc.) Do adults find it hard to take kids seriously when they use these words? How can language affect how people are viewed?
Are the girls actually clever, or are they just lucky to have the stuff that they have?
Do real teens look like these girls?
TV Details
- Premiere date : November 3, 2001
- Cast : Andrea Baker , Jennifer Hale , Katie Griffin
- Network : Cartoon Network
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , School ( High School ) , Travel
- TV rating :
- Last updated : January 18, 2026
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