Television Review: Total Drama Island
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this animated series is meant for
kids old enough to watch -- and appreciate -- a satire of
reality shows like
Survivor; those too young to get the joke likely won't
find it very funny. There's some mild innuendo, characters can
be rude to each other, and, of course, they're often made to
suffer indignities and ridiculously difficult and dangerous
"challenges." But there's little that's blatantly iffy beyond
occasional fart jokes.
Families can talk about what parts of reality shows this series
is making fun of. Is it just the shows themselves, or also they
way they're cast and created? The characters are purposely
presented as one-dimensional stereotypes -- because that's what
producers of real reality shows often do to people through
judicious editing. If someone only filmed and showed certain
moments in your day, could they make you look mean or whiny?
Why would someone want to focus on those parts of your
character for a reality show?
TOTAL DRAMA ISLAND is a cartoon satire of reality shows like Survivor. The intentionally one-dimensional teen characters are thrown together in a summer camp setting, then broken up into teams and presented with challenges by their host. At the end of most episodes, someone's voted out and sent home.
The best thing about Total Drama Island is that its knowing wink encompasses everyone -- viewers and characters alike. Many characters know that they're there to play their stereotypical roles (geek, tough kid, big sassy African-American girl, etc.), and they do so with one eye on the camera. The joke isn't just on reality shows -- it's on reality shows as they've become now, populated with students of the genre who are all trying to game the system. The show's theme song, "I Wanna Be Famous," says it all.
For all its satiric qualities, Total Drama Island actually manages to pull viewers in. There's a contest at the core, and kids who tune in for the spoof may find themselves caught up in finding out which character will manage to survive to the end. Overall, it's an enjoyable, smart show for anyone old enough to watch "real" reality TV.
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