Are all cartoons suitable for children? With specific focus on 'The Simpsons'.?

Question

What do you feel is the target audience for The Simpsons is? How old do you think children should be to watch The Simpsons? Do children laugh at some of the jokes featured without really understanding them? Why do children enjoy this programme so much? There is a Simpsons movie coming out later this year how do you think it should be rated? If there was a non-animated programme that featured the same cotent as The Simpsons does do you think that parents would be more reluctant to let their children watch? Currently The Simpsons is shown on Channel 4 at 6.00pm, this prime-time scheduling, do you feel that maybe The Simpsons should be shown at a later time?
Please if you don't mind can you leave your age, gender and location as this is for a media project and the research will be analysed. It would be good to see if any of these factors have an affect on the responses. Also keep in mind that you do not have to answer all of these questions they are just there to raise the main issues.

Answer 1

The Simpsons was never intended for children. It deals with pop culture references and social issues that most kids would not understand. People should not assume that a show is suitable for kids just because it is animated. Would you let your kids watch South Park or Family Guy?

Answer 2

Cartoons are certainly not just for children, and haven't been for a very long time. There have been many cartoons with a specifically adult content throughout the history of film, although their appearance on TV is comparatively recent.

The Simpsons is targetted across age barriers. Bart is clearly targetted at the younger age groups, his attitude and exploits making him a star of T-Shirts, pencil cases and school bags for many years.

However, once you pass sixteen you realise that he's not really who the series is about. Homer and Marge's relationship is obviously a very adult, and often very passionate one. Many of the themes explored are decidedly adult, but presented in such a way that most (I hope) young viewers will laugh at the absurdity and the presentation, rather than the guiltier more knowledgable laughs that their adult counterparts will present.

The Simpsons did open the door for more and more cartoons that targetted a more mature (or immature sometimes) audience. South Park is the one that leaps immediately to mind and shows such as Family Guy, King of the Hill and others also play to a higher age group.

Of course, animation s treated differently in different countries. Much animation is Japan is aimed squarely at the adult audience, just look at movies like Perfect Blue to see what I mean (That movie being an example of non sci-fi/Fantasy Anime).

The Simpsons does disguise it's more adult content fairly well, playing cleverly for laughs that should hit the whole family and is well written as a 'balanced' show that should rarely cause true offence. Plus you should take note that it actually houses a strong moral content. The 'right' decision is always made in the end, or the one that follows the wrong path gets their cummupance.

Regardless of adversity the family has always stayed together, and it is clear that there are strong ties there. Even if you disagree with Bart's Rebelliosness and Homer's Buffoonery, they are (eventually) a loyal family unit despite their ongoing bickering.

As for the Movie and it's rating, like other movies it will likely be rated based entirely on it's content, not it's history. If the producers want a certain certificate they may have to make edits to achieve that aim (as happened with the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie all those years ago), having not seen the film yet I cannot judge how the Ceritification offices will play this one.

And as for the personal details you request, no problem. I'm a 33 year-old Male, originally from the Uk currently teaching overseas.

Answer 3

I think when The Simpsons began it was the most innovative entertainment programme on TV. I believe it was aimed at adults, with a wry look at parenthood. it was first shown in the states on the Tracy ullman show, i don't know what time this show was broadcast on TV , but assume it was after watershed. I was a teenager the first time i watched it, when sky TV started showing it in the UK, and must admit there were some things i didn't pick up on. As i get older i begin to appreciate the subtleties in the humour. i think there is a slight political edge to the humour. As the programme has developed it has become more of a teen oriented humour (teenagers aren't as young in the head as they used to be) but still with enough bite to attract adults. the visual humour,or slapstick, attracts the younger viewers, the itchy and scratchy effect. I think the film will probably get a 12 certificate, although without seeing it i couldn't say what i think it should be. it will probably be marketed as a family movie. I'm now 28 and still enjoy the show now and again, although Family Guy holds my attention more. The Simpsons has done well to last so long, there have been many shows that have outlasted there welcome on TV, some have gone gracefully, i hope the film isn't a disaster as can so often happen.

Answer 4

19/f/Liverpool, UK

I think The Simpsons should be rated PG/12A, depending on how bad the language, how sexual it gets and/or how violent it gets (Not that there's much violence, but still)

The target audience would appear to have been male and female aged 25-45, white and... I guess, middle class (Not too high up the society ladder, but not that low down either).

Children should be, I think, at least 7 to watch it.

The great thing about The Simpsons is that there are some kiddy jokes (Remember when Homer fell out of the ambulance and down the cliff?), and they might understand the jokes the kids make, they might laugh at the more mature jokes and not get them.

Children enjoy it as it's brightly-coloured, cartoonish, realistic but not mundane and they can relate to different characters in the show (I can imagine loads of boys wanting to be Bart!)

I guess the reluctance of the parents would depend on the plot and themes of the film as well as the content, but I think some would generally be more reluctant.

I didn't know the Simpsons was still on at that time! I think it's OK timing as is because it's in the evening, but not too late. More 'mature' episodes should be shown about 8:30-9:30pm, though.

Thanks for that, it was really intersting to answer. Best of luck to you!

Answer 5

1) older teens i would say 2) 14 + to get the full benefit of the jokes and general humour 3) Yes i'm sure they do, some of the things he says are way too old for the younger child to understand but its more to do with the facial expressions than what he is saying 4) cos the people are yellow and Homer is a wally 5) It should have at least a PG rating 6) Yes i think so, i would not let mine watch a human version. 7) Yes it should be about 8pm but not at teatime.

I am 38, female and a mother of 2 in the south of England. I don't like my 9 yr old watching the simpsons very much, he loves it, i think they like it cos the people are yellow, and out of the ordinary, but the jokes are normally way to old for little kids to understand. Hope this helps with your project.

Answer 6

i think the target audience is 12 year olds coz when u look at the DVDs u see they r rated 12. i think kids do laugh at jokes they don't understand- many of the jokes on The Simpsons are intelligent jokes that require a level of general knowledge that many kids probably won't have. i think kids love it coz they can relate to Bart (being naughty) and Lisa (misunderstood and unpopular). i think the movie should be rated 12A. I think parents might me more cautious if the same content was in another show but the fact that its a cartoon show makes it seemingly more harmless and fun. i don't think the time should b changed and i've noticed that some things like jokes to do with sex are cut out.

i am 18, female and live in London

Answer 7

I'm 26/F/AZ.

I've had watch the simpsons since I was a teenager, I think that is up to the parents the decision if they want their children watch it or not,
It's more for young adults than for children, but when children watch them they laugh at what they think is happening they don't know the grown up jokes, they laugh because Homer felt, or Bart farted.

I do think they say a lot of things children must not watch but children won't take it as it's suppose to be in there, they just hear it.

I think that The simpons is more for 10 and up. i think they can understand more of it and if they have questions well parents should be there for them to explain.

If children under 10 watches he'll get as much as he knows about life or grown up stuff.

I hope I help you with my answer. and I am a Simpsons Fan.

Answer 8

What do you feel is the target audience for The Simpsons is? Teenagers to Adults if I had to rate as a Movie I would say PG-13. Which is basically means that you should be 13 years of age to even consider watching it and even then you have to get a parents permission or approval. How old do you think children should be to watch The Simpsons? I think a reasonable age would be 16 without permission of the parents at that age since it is the common age for them to get their drivers license and if we can trust them to operate a car then I sure we can trust them to make choices on what they can watch. Do children laugh at some of the jokes featured without really understanding them? I believe so in fact they know it is funny but they do not know why a lot of times there is ques in the show itself like a character laughing or other things that lets you know it supposed to be funny making it easy to understand that it it is funny and like in some shows that have the canned laughter or laugh tracks to get more laughter or tell people to laugh even if they do not understand why it is funny. Why do children enjoy this programme so much? I think it is because a lot of them can relate to the children on the show and have them deal with such parents or grown ups in similar ways or at least wish they could. In fact it seems that they three children have the most common stereotypes of children there is Lisa the A+ student that is in the Band and is a classic Nerd, Maggie the cute innocent little angel that is either ignored and even when in trouble can get away with it, then there is Bart who is the rebellious troublemaker always doing something bad and even when he did not do it is the one getting blamed. There are also other children besides those simpson family like the archetype bully ect. There is a Simpsons movie coming out later this year how do you think it should be rated? PG-13 and I did not know they where coming out with a new movie If there was a non-animated programme that featured the same content as The Simpsons does do you think that parents would be more reluctant to let their children watch? Yes in fact I think even now parents should be concerned over children watching Simpsons, so if it was a live action tv show they be concerned. I think it has to deal with how the Parents where raised to think of Cartoons as something for children that makes them more at easy as they think it is not reality and everything, but when the same content is shown with real people they get concerned since it looks like reality and they think children will respond to it as it is reality and not cartoons since it does not look real. Currently The Simpsons is shown on Channel 4 at 6.00pm, this prime-time scheduling, do you feel that maybe The Simpsons should be shown at a later time? No since with tech that like Direct TV or Tivo or other gadgets offered by TV companies that can recorded and store shows for watching later is in a lot of houses moving the time will just mean that is stored away to watch later, but they will still watch it if they like it. Please if you don't mind can you leave your age, gender and location as this is for a media project and the research will be analyzed. Older than 30, Male, United States of America

Answer 9

No not all cartoons are suitable for children - adult swim on cartoon network, for example... I still dont care much for my teen to watch some of that stuff, certainly wouldnt let the little one watch it. (makes the simpsons seem like winnie the pooh)
I think parents should take a more active roll - actually sit and watch a show before determining whether their children should watch it, sit and watch with them for a few episodes to see how it affects them (if at all) and talk about what they're seeing just to make sure they know whats going on.
I'm almost 35 and I still sit with my kids if they watch tv (cartoons included) just so I know for sure they arent being bombarded with too much garbage - Same with video games, I'm right there making sure they arent getting too carried away with the whole RPG world.

Answer 10

I don't like the Simpsons as it promotes Dad as being a doofus and Bart is rude. Not good if you're trying to promote healthy family values. I don't let my kids watch it. Teens, ok, but not kids. Starting age, I would suppose, 13. As for the movie, PG rated.

My age is 38, Female, SC. Hope this helps.