What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this action cartoon is heavy on
violence and essentially void of any positive content for its
intended grade-school viewers. Martial arts-style battles are
the sole means of conflict resolution, and the bad guys often
use missiles and machine guns in addition to hand-to-hand
combat skills. Physical stereotyping (a black character sports
a huge Afro, and an Asian girl has the look of a traditional
Japanese geisha) is overt and bolstered by exaggerated accents.
And don't look too hard for positive messages of any kind --
there's nothing like that in this visual equivalent of candy
for kids.
Families can talk about how heroes are portrayed in different TV shows. Are heroic characters always good? Do they ever break rules to achieve their goals? Is it OK to lie or cheat if your overall aim is to help others? Who are some of your favorite TV heroes? Why do you like them? Families can also discuss other ways to resolve conflict besides violence or fighting. Why do you think that so many cartoon characters default to battles?
Common Sense Media Review
Hidden away within the walls of his vast shopping mall,
nefarious but mostly incompetent Dr. Wasabi (voiced by Paul
Kaye) devises his plans for world domination and directs the
moves of his primate sidekick, Bubba (
Rupert
Degas), and his minions, the Ninja Chimps. But, try as he
may, this maniacal mutated fish always finds his efforts
thwarted by a trio of talented kung fu chickens. Led by
philosophical sensei Chuckie Chan (
Rob
Rackstraw), tenacious Chick P (Shelley Longworth), and
powerhouse KO Joe (Paterson Joseph) use their martial arts
skills to battle Dr. Wasabi's army and restore peace to the
mall and its visitors.
CHOP SOCKY CHOOKS takes bizarre to a new level with its very strange characters -- who, by the way, don't in any way resemble chickens or a fish, mutated or otherwise. While the basic premise of good vs. incompetent evil is a great plot starter when properly developed, this show loses most of its humor in an overdose of violence and overt racial stereotyping.
Kids might be drawn in by the show's action and outlandish storylines, but there's little redeeming quality to be found here. No attempt is made to put positive lessons into the plot, and the only message kids might pick up is that fighting is a reliable means of resolving conflict, making it an iffy choice for young viewers.
Better options for action-loving kids include Jackie Chan Adventures and The Life and Times of Juniper Lee .
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
