Children Shows/Movies That Seem Catered Towards Young Adults, Part II

“Legend of Korra” 

A spinoff of “Avatar the Last Airbender,” “Legend of Korra” has some of the same themes. I didn’t watch it as a child but am now watching it as an adult and am surprised at some of the undertones. It doesn’t seem like a kid show at all to me. Some of the themes address:

• Prejudice against others who are different. For example, those who have the ability to bend versus those who don’t.

• Broken friendships. Korra gets into small tiffs with her friends here and there which sometimes results in them not speaking. 

• Internal growth. In the beginning, Korra represented a stereotype to me about women of color and I did not appreciate how they portrayed her. I’m told she grows out of certain traits and matures.

There’s a lot more I can get into like the different types of relationships showcased, especially in a 2012 cartoon, which can be seen as very ahead of its time.

“Courage the Cowardly Dog”

I adored this show when I was younger. The only reason I believe it has adult-like qualities is because of the backgrounds of some of the monsters showcased. Looking at reviews on the media, I see a lot of parents saying that it’s too ‘spooky’ for their kids and I agree. Some of the episodes will always scare me even as a 21-year-old female. 

Scariness tends to be an adult genre, although some parents have desensitized their children to it from a very young age. 

“Total Drama Island” 

I absolutely loved this show. It seemed like a show for teenagers or younger adults despite where it aired (Cartoon Network) in America. A lot of the issues the contestants went through were things adults would be more concerned with in my opinion. It’s a parody of the reality show Survivor which should be an inclination it’d have those qualities. Another hint is that they bleeped out what would have been curse words within the show. 

“The Haunted Mansion”

Spoiler: This movie is about a dead guy trying to get with a very much alive married woman whom he thinks is his past fiance who committed suicide. While it is very funny, starring Eddie Murphy, it has a deeper plotline. The type you’d see in soap operas in the afternoon. I rewatched it this Halloween and was sort of shocked. It definitely has the fun parts for the kids and the deeper parts for the adults.

“Lion King”

Inspired by biblical characters and Hamlet, the “Lion King” has a lot of themes that would be better understood by adults. There was the manipulation of a family and child. The death of a father. A coming of age for Simba. An encounter (don’t think we ain’t notice that) during the “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” moment where Simba and Nala are sort of reunited.

Looking back to older shows and comparing them to now. It’s amazing how censored and sheltered the shows are now. I think that having children shows that expose them to some of the more adult topics like I mentioned above helps create a well-rounded child.

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• entertainment
• movies