Adult cartoons

ashli_2

DVardysShadow wrote: »

I watched many, but far from most episodes of Simpsons. I think you have to be only half watching if you think that it is promoting laziness, gluttony, greed, rudeness, lack of responsibility, cultural stereotypes and so on... As I see it, it is saying that those things exist, but one of the charming things for me about Simpsons is the ruthless logic with which consequences are developed from actions. In general [when I used to watch television], the thing which would cause me to object to a program most from a moral perspective would be to portray bad actions without consequences. So I never found a problem with Simpsons

I do agree with this actually.

sarymclary

I've not allowed any of my children to watch any of the programmes you mentioned until they were aged 10+

Funnily enough, I just so happen to have coincided our evening meal to be at just the same time as Simpsons starts, and the TV has to be switched off during mealtimes in our house. That's saved us from having to watch the awful yellow creatures in our house, whether the children's friends influence them or not.

Since we now have a TV with built in freeview, my younger 2 boys (10 & 13) choose to watch CBBC or endless episodes of Top Gear, and both have to be in bed before the supposed watershed, but we also don't allow them to watch any of the soaps, which I feel include content that is far too adult for most children, and certainly issues I wouldn't want my children to be exposed to.

I must admit there are times I wish Mary Whitehouse was still spouting from her soapbox... never thought I'd say that!

LJM

i agree no tv in our house either at dinner or any time after 6 for that matter on school nights, and as for watching them on the internet im glad i have a partner who knows his way around computers to put on parental controls and we have a no using internet without an adult present. may sound harsh but i would rather see what they are searching for than to find out via some other way

*Louise*

Simpsons/Futurama are at a totally opposite end of the scale than Family Guy/South park imo

My DS1 was staying at my youngest sisters one night and I phoned to speak to him. I heard Family Guy on in the background, which I don't think is suitable for an 11yo so I asked to speak to her and explained the situation. She hadn't even thought about the content but understood the reasoning, the daftie.

I don't mind him watching Simpsons at all, but i noticed when my 5yo DS was watching it, he was being cheeky and coming out with Bart-like comments (even tried to give his brother a 'wedgie' at one point, which was sooo funny):o:rotfl:but it's not a way I want him to act so we have restricted him watching it now.

On the other hand I must admit - Hubby and I are Family Guy fanatics, I think it's hilarious :T

jennypdolphin

My 4 year old loves the simpsons. OH also watched family guy and american dad with hinm too (OH has seen all the episodes so as far as I know chooses the more acceptable ones)

ab7

ashli wrote: »

Thanks everyone, very interesting.

OH and I disagree on this so I thought I'd poll your opinions.

DS is six, and he absolutely LOVES the Simpsons, and while occasionally the themes are quite adult, I don't think it's too bad.

Futurama is also allowed though I am less comfortable with this- sometimes it does come close to the wire!- this is my compromise.

OH would be happy to watch Family Guy and American Dad while DS is in the room but I have vetoed this pretty vehemently. I actually think it's rather worse for them to watch these at the age of 6 or 7 than at 2 or 3 because they understand just enough to give them the gist of what's going on.

I was just checking to make sure I wasn't being a paranoid mummy :rotfl:

Cheers x

I completely agree with you - I have a 20yr DS who loves Family guy/Cleveland/American dad and there is no way he would let my DDs aged 9 and 10 watch them - There's the vile bl00dy (literally) chicken fights, evil monkey in Chris's cupboard (every kiddies nightmare) gay implication with Stewie, and the fact that Brian is meant to love Louis :rotfl:and Peter makes Homer look like an angel, never mind Stan! But before I put anyone off watching, there is a lot of good adult based questions put into the shows :cool: Seth McFarlane pompous though he is is trying to get american adults to think about moral issues and stereotypes but the key word is adults, not children! BTW, my son owns the DVDs and the age rating is 15, so that should give you an indication

lucylucky

sarymclary wrote: »

I've not allowed any of my children to watch any of the programmes you mentioned until they were aged 10+

Funnily enough, I just so happen to have coincided our evening meal to be at just the same time as Simpsons starts, and the TV has to be switched off during mealtimes in our house. That's saved us from having to watch the awful yellow creatures in our house, whether the children's friends influence them or not.

Since we now have a TV with built in freeview, my younger 2 boys (10 & 13) choose to watch CBBC or endless episodes of Top Gear, and both have to be in bed before the supposed watershed, but we also don't allow them to watch any of the soaps, which I feel include content that is far too adult for most children, and certainly issues I wouldn't want my children to be exposed to.

I must admit there are times I wish Mary Whitehouse was still spouting from her soapbox... never thought I'd say that!

At least they are not watching anything racist, homophobic, xenophobic, bigoted .....oh hang on.;)

Shelley84

My DS is 5 and doesn't mind The Simpsons, it's not really on much in our house anyway, but if it is on he will happily watch it. He hasn't seen any of the others though, I feel he is too young. He can watch Futurama in a few years if its still around. He likes to watch Nickelodeon -Spongebob, iCarly etc

My friend lets her 9 year old DS watch The Inbetweeners! I've never seen it but I've heard its 18 rated. I was allowed to watch 18 rated films from about 14/15 as I was quite mature for my age, but at 9 years old is just beyond me.

Gazing_On_Sunsets

I was raised, from a very young age, on Carry On films, Monty Python, and Blackadder (the last introduced to me by my staid and prim grandmother!) - most of it went over my head - I laughed at the slapstick and totally missed the innuendo. Watching them now, I could be appalled at it... but kids don't always see what we see, as adults. Not that that's any excuse for watching age-inappropriate stuff. But something like the Simpsons has a dual vein running through it - cartoon comedy of the old type (as someone said above, Dennis the Menace is hardly a great role model) PLUS the adult innuendo. Kids are too busy watching Bart fall out of trees to notice any subtext to be honest. However, South Park's language puts it firmly in a teenage/adult camp - in my opinion.

It's going to depend on your kids, as well, surely? Some kids will watch a cartoon and seem to zone in on the very worst catchphrase there, and repeat it at the most embarrassing moments. Other kids will laugh because they saw a pink parrot and completely fail to notice naked people swearing. So I don't think there's any rule.

somethingsgottogive

Shelley84 wrote: »

My DS is 5 and doesn't mind The Simpsons, it's not really on much in our house anyway, but if it is on he will happily watch it. He hasn't seen any of the others though, I feel he is too young. He can watch Futurama in a few years if its still around. He likes to watch Nickelodeon -Spongebob, iCarly etc

My friend lets her 9 year old DS watch The Inbetweeners! I've never seen it but I've heard its 18 rated. I was allowed to watch 18 rated films from about 14/15 as I was quite mature for my age, but at 9 years old is just beyond me.

OMG! The Inbetweeners for a 9 year old!? That's just wrong - some of the crude phrases that come out of Jay's mouth make ME cringe. As you say, 14/15 they're old enough to be able to filter it and understand that it's meant to be for entertainment, not for copying around Grandma..

The Simpsons, my 5 year old loves and I don't see anything wrong with it, same for Futurama really. My OH downloaded the Family Guy Star Wars episodes a few weeks ago, and was watching them with aforementioned 5 year old - I was in the other room, was shocked to hear a torrent of f*** b****** f*** from 'Chris' and ran in to find OH very pale, very LOUDLY asking DD about her day at school and fumbling with the mouse to turn it off - he hadn't even thought about what Family's normally like!