 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Wild Thornberrys
- Nickelodeon
- Genre: Kids' Animation
Common Sense Media says
Globe-trotters explore strange new worlds.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that, although the appreciation for animals the series promotes is admirable, they may need to remind young fans that animals encountered in the wild should be approached with caution. Also, Eliza's sister Debbie is often snotty and superficial to the point of giving teenagers a bad name.
What's the story?
How do you teach kids to appreciate animals, instill in them a curiosity about different ways of living, and suggest to them the vastness of the world? Create a cartoon about a filmmaking family that dashes to a new corner of the globe in each episode -- to Finland, Australia, India, or the Everglades. In THE WILD THORNBERRYS, the main character, a miniature Dr. Dolittle in the form of a 12-year-old girl, meets click-talking Kung people, Maasai, and Aborigines and interacts with everything from aye-ayes, to wombats, to humpback whales.
Is it any good?
The premise of The Wild Thornberrys is tailored to a child's imagination. The Thornberry kids don't attend regular school, they're on vacation all the time, they live in a camper, and the protagonist has a secret power no one knows about. It's a fantasy life, for sure, but the series explores the real customs of many different cultures and the real behavior and habitats of countless kinds of animals.
Episodes also delve into family relationships. OK, so a wild boy found in the jungle and a chimp happen to live with this family, but Eliza (Lacey Chabert) and teenager Debbie (Danielle Harris) still struggle to overcome sibling rivalry, learn responsibility, and form independent identities. The show presents a nuclear family living an alternative lifestyle; as a result, even episodes with traditional growing-up themes come across as fresh and new compared to many home and school-centered family shows. Also worth noting is the married relationship here, which is surprisingly rich and multidimensional compared to most marriages seen on television. The Thornberry parents (Tim Curry and Jodi Carlisle), true partners and great role models, include their family in the realization of their own dreams and in the pursuit of travel, creativity, and adventure.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the bickering between the sisters. Is it realistic, or do you just find it grating? Young and old viewers may also discuss what a loving sibling relationship should look like.
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Teen, 14 years old
July 11, 2010
AGE
One of the best shows!
I use to love this show! I liked the theme music, the meaning, and its plot. It was one of the best shows on Nick. It just teaches about animals in a cool way.
What other families should know:
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Adult
March 26, 2011
AGE
Older sister ruins it.
My 3 1/2 year old watched this for about five minutes before it was banned from our household. The older sister is awful. Young kids will not see the loving resolution at the end; they'll only remember the horrible way she talks to her family. No thanks.
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Adult
May 26, 2009
AGE
I hate this show!
I can't stand this show. The characters are ugly and annoying. Unfortunatley, my youngest daughter was obsessed with this cartoon when she was 8-11.
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Teen, 13 years old
May 6, 2010
AGE
Bring at least 100 good shows back, the new ones ain't so good
I love this show, I cannot remember much of it though, but I love it and I want it back on.
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Adult
August 26, 2009
AGE
put it back on tv already
i love this show because it has an imagnation and teaches you about diffrent areas in the world and diffrent animals i wish it was on tv agien oh do i miss that show
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
This is a pretty entertaining show, you get to go around the world with the Thornberry's and it covers issues of thinking and exploring for yourself, helping and understanding humans and animals. Overall, good messages come from this show.
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Kid, 9 years old
November 8, 2009
AGE
perfect for kids
i think this is a really good show. you go all around the world to different places and learn about things there.
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Teen, 16 years old
November 27, 2011
AGE
You overrated it, but yes, it is a 90s classic. I kept this title because CSM's is too short to parody.
I don't understand how you gave this 5 stars but you only give As Told By Ginger and Rocko's Modern Life 4 stars when those two shows have stronger positive messages and have a good sense of satire and get you quickly interested in the storyline all at the same time. This show does have good storytelling abilities (after all, it was the first of sadly only 8 Nicktoons on regular Nick to have one full 24-minute storyline per episode) and it does have some funny moments (especially with Debbie), but in most episodes one component or the other fails a bit and has to made up by the other. This is noticeable to me, but it does not take away from the show's overall entertaining effect. It's still a good show, but it's not one of Nick's best. So I would recommend you switching the star ratings of this and As Told By Ginger. Also, the show does have a good deal of peril, and there was one episode where was blood was visible on a wolf's face because it apparently had killed a sheep, so this show may scare a 5 or 6 year old. But when I was of that age, I don't think this was one of those shows that scared me regularly. But I do see such a potential.
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Teen, 15 years old
April 27, 2011
AGE
Great show
I loved this show as a child and I still love it as a teenager and probably will into adulthood <3 It reminds me of the good ol' days when they had decent if not wholesome shows on Nickelodeon that taught good morals but were still entertaining in the least. I'd recommend this for any age of all kind. Though the characters can be off, as can the actual culture. It is usually well informed on the culture but they aren't always spot on. This is me just being nit picky, don't mind it. :P
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| Topics: | wild animals |
| TV rating: | TV-Y7 |
| Network: | Nickelodeon |
| Cast: | Jodi Carlisle, Lacey Chabert, Tim Curry |
| Genre: | Kids' Animation |
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