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movies/tv Why are kids cartoons so great, but live-action kids shows aren't?

TheMisterManGuy

By TheMisterManGuy, User

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TheMisterManGuy

TheMisterManGuy 344

We have many great cartoons either appropriate for kids, or aimed at them. But, we really don't have many great live-action kids shows, at least not anymore. Most of them tend to be the same laugh track blandness ment to farm pop stars. Why to people take kids cartoons seriously, but pay no attention to live-action kids shows? 

 

My guess is because animation has a well known stigma of being only for kids, creators who take the medium seriously have to make the best out of the standards of kids television to make what they want if they're not going for a ranchy sitcom like Family Guy. Live-Action, doesn't have that stigma, so most of the really good stuff tends to be for adults. Occasionaly you'll get a Pete & Pete, Even Stevens, or Tower Prep, but these are generally few and far between. So what are your thoughts?

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TheMisterManGuy

TheMisterManGuy 344

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I remember Drake and Josh being a big hit on Nick

D&J was a decent show, but I'd say that was one of the exceptions to the rule. Most live-action kids shows (at least these days) are the same laugh track filled bland plots with cheesy writing and weak acting, ment to sell little girls pop music.

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TheJLeeTeam

TheJLeeTeam 914

With animation you can do so many things you can't do in really life, like it's so much easier to make non-human characters and a completely different world, setting, and logic from ours. Sometimes live action shows do some cliche humor or just try to hard but there are a couple I like such as Drake & Josh and iCarly.

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Shanks

Shanks 10,817

There aren't really that many good live action shows in general these days actually, part of it is certain things are easier in cartoons than live action but that dosen't explain why there were more good live action shows in the 90's than there are today though those reasons can also be applied to why there were more good shows in general back then as well with the quality of entertainment going down the toilet.

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Troubleshoes Clyde

Troubleshoes Clyde 107

Ah, live action sitcoms for kids. My one true enemy.

 

I grew up watching shows like Drake and Josh, Hannah Montana, whatever was on TV. Cartoons, sadly seemed not to be popular and what kids wanted according to the TV station bosses. I remember watching lots of cartoons with I genuinely enjoyed and remember parts of right now. But not enough.

 

Even thought I watched more live action, I only fondly remembered a few. I bet I'm the only one who cares about a few here. My favourites were, Middle School Surival guide ( I think what it's called anyway), Dani' house and other stuff from Nick. I enjoyed these shows because, well, half the time they were the only thing on on RTE 2, a channel I will say will only ever show Adventure Time in the depths of the summer when no one sane should be watching TV.

 

But what really makes me mad about sitcoms for kids is well Disney ones. The only episode of note from any of them was a very old Hannah Montana episode which was basically about Miley being afraid of being a bad role model for kids and something about some fashion guy. Yeah.

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Megas

Megas 28,100

(edited)

Because live-action kids shows nowadays are the same assembly-line tripe we've seen for the last few years now. I think the last good ones(or at least ones people actually liked) were Drake & Josh and Ned's Declassified....maybe iCarly, but even that was weak compared to the other 2

Edited by Megas75
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Kyoshi Frost Wolf

Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,202

I think it is the overall lack of creativity. Most of the live action shows tend to follow the same generic settings and tropes that we have seen dozens of times. With cartoons, you can do so much. With live action, they seem to keep everything simple, to a fault.

 

Drake and Josh was one of the only shows like this that I actually liked, but even it started to go downhill after the first couple of seasons. Most other live action shows such as that are just...generic and stereotypical. Give me a good cartoon any day.

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Guest

Guest

I remember Drake and Josh being a big hit on Nick

Drake & Josh was an awesome show. I don't understand why some think live action kid shows are not great. 

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Guest

Guest

Drake and Josh is one of my favorite shows period!

Josh & megan were the funniest in my opinion. Good times come back to my memory from when I watched that show as a kid. Another show I watched was the Amanda Show a long time ago. 

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Christmasy Britty

Christmasy Britty 2,553

We have many great cartoons either appropriate for kids, or aimed at them. But, we really don't have many great live-action kids shows, at least not anymore. Most of them tend to be the same laugh track blandness ment to farm pop stars. Why to people take kids cartoons seriously, but pay no attention to live-action kids shows? 

 

My guess is because animation has a well known stigma of being only for kids, creators who take the medium seriously have to make the best out of the standards of kids television to make what they want if they're not going for a ranchy sitcom like Family Guy. Live-Action, doesn't have that stigma, so most of the really good stuff tends to be for adults. Occasionaly you'll get a Pete & Pete, Even Stevens, or Tower Prep, but these are generally few and far between. So what are your thoughts?

i think you hit the exact nail on the head, it's because live action shows for kids tend to be sitcoms mainly and idk about you but i personally hate sitcoms they've always hit me in a bad way. The only other show i could think about that's for kids and not a sitcom would be Power Rangers which can be very cool but its not really my cup of tea anymore either

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A Black Circle

A Black Circle 1,586

Drake & Josh had substance, pacing, morale, and legitimate comedy. I need to go through and watch the series again.

 

But honestly, I think that the endless line of Disney's sitcoms are worse than anything Nick is doing right now.

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Guest

I loved the Amanda Show as well. I miss it so much.

Bring out the dancin' lobsters.

xD that was one awesome show for real! hahaha

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Moved to Elsewhere

Moved to Elsewhere 11,331

I think it's due to there being a lot more corporate meddling in live action than in cartoons. Mostly due to them being more marketable due to having some famous actor or singer in it. So they sacrifice that for good writing.

 

 

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xenozfan3

xenozfan3 189

I loved older ones like Keenan & Kel, all that, boy meet world, saved by the bell,100 deeds for eddie mcdowd, the jersey,clarissa explains it all, Lizzie McGuire, eerie Indiana, so weird, that's so raven. That's all I can think of right now.

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