Nickelodeon's Rugrats is a great show for kids and kids at heart. Fortunately, Nick decided to create a show that appealed to older audiences and boy did they. Their new show includes fast-paced action that appeals to kids of all ages but also appeals to parents at a time when America is reconsidering content on TV. In fact, I have heard that Rocket Power has "rocketed" its way up to being one of the 5 most popular kids shows in America!

Rocket Power has a great combination of action and adventure with a some "reality" built in. Sure, Otto, Reggie, Sam, and Twister surf, skateboard, and partake in many other things that could be shown along with a "Professional on a Closed Course: Do Not Try This at Home" message, but fortunately, Nickelodeon builds in reality to prevent viewers from making some of the same "mistakes" the four pre-teens make. For example, Otto's excessive pride and tendency to "show off" lands him many downfalls and accidents, including a broken leg. Nick clearly displays that even "professionals" get hurt and that these stunts are hazardous for the average person. Twister particularly adds to the comedy in the show because he is frequently oblivious to what is going on and his comments make excellent punch lines. At the same time, however, Rocket Power also teaches lessons about friendship, standing up for what is right, and listening to authority. The show is designed for preteens specifically, but is great for all ages.

Also, the guys at Nickelodeon also helped strengthen views about the roles of girls in sports and single fathers. Reggie, Otto's brother, is spunky and plays the same sports that the three boys do, sometimes outdoing all three of them. A lot of times, Reggie is the only one of the four who displays common sense and reason when it comes time for the group to make decisions. Consequently, she has won the admiration of many viewers. Otto and Reggie live alone with their father, Ray (the whereabouts of the mother will be revealed in a new TV movie in 2003/2004). Ray is shown as a capable and supportive parent. Obviously, Nick was interesting in changing these views for the better so that current audiences will keep these ideas throughout life.

There are some drawbacks to this show. The main one is that there are not enough episodes to keep things interesting. Even though new episodes have been released, they are quickly becoming as tiring as the old ones because of their frequent re-broadcasts. New episodes are coming out annually, but they only come out once a month (or less). Nick has not shown enough interest in one of their most popular shows (It is the second most popular cartoon according to its creator, Klasky-Csupo) while continuing to produce new episodes for others. The new episodes that have come out are not being rotated yet and there is still a "missing" episode that has yet to be shown. Also, if your kids are looking for merchandise of their favorite characters, there is some slowly coming out (t-shirts, video games, fruit snacks, Burger King toys, etc...), but the real marketing campaign is slow and very few commercials are shown for Rocket Power products. There was a live show that was to tour the country in 2002/2003, but it was cancelled after visiting only 4 Midwest cities. Despite strong ticket sales and rave reviews, executives claim that the show wasn't meeting the "bottom line" and they hope to restart the tour as early as next year. As for the Burger King toys that premiered in April 2002, the supply was wiped out by the time the promotion ended and Ebay is now filled with auctions for the valuable toys.

In February of 2002, Nickelodeon redeemed itself by premiering "Race Across New Zealand". The movie involved the crew traveling to New Zealand in order to win a coveted award called Prince Waikikamukau. Not only do Otto and Reggie battle against the son of the former champion (who cheated to beat Ray in the first competition), but Reggie battles Ray's obsession to win (which puts all his attention on Otto). Fortunately, Ray finally realizes his mistake and his apology to Reggie allows the group to re-organize itself. In the end, both Otto and Reggie are crowned the winners and all four of them win the team competition. The 90-minute movie was wonderfully animated and was accompanied with a kid-friendly punk rock soundtrack (the first for a Nick TV movie), which I have also reviewed on this site. The mini-movie was Nick's second most-watched flick EVER (Rugrats "All Growed Up" was #1) and put the show on the map once again. Two mini-movies, "Reggie's Big (Beach) Break" and a movie regarding the "mom mystery," are to premiere in 2003 in response to the first flick's immense popularity

Nick also released five new episodes the week of April 8, 2002 during a series titled "Rocket Power of 5". The episodes included the addition of two characters who will return in future episodes (aired in the UK to date but not in the US): a young surfer from New Zealand named Trent, who causes Reggie to go bananas every time she sees him; and Breezy, a clothing company rep who catches Ray's eye. If they do re-appear, the romance they bring may keep older viewers glued to the set as well as the usual audience. There are also rumors that Breezy may become a "permanent" figure in the lives of the Rockets. In the meantime, rumors continue to circulate that Rocket Power will be cancelled, although that seems unlikely for now (the creator, Klasky-Csupo, has been asked to produce more episodes for 2003-2004).

The show also presents some "bad examples" which can easily be ignored if one knows what they are. Otto's excessive pride is one of them. In addition, there is sometimes rivalry and argument among the group of friends (the arguments usually involve self-interest). However, when it counts, they always end up settling their differences and once they regroup as a team, they can do anything that comes to them.

The group usually seems to follow Otto and his ideas, no matter how dumb or wrong they are. Twister almost always sticks by Otto with no second thoughts (Otto is his best friend). Sam sometimes objects, but is usually roped in to whatever scheme Otto is attempting. Even Reggie, who is supposed to be the voice of reason, sometimes abandons all judgment and concedes to her brother (especially in the face of competition). Conformity appears to be the "cool" thing, although it is not always the right thing.

Another somewhat negative influence comes from Reggie and it is not her character. Reggie is physically very thin, which may have something to do with her immense athletic ability, but could add to the modern (and dangerous) notion for girls that "thin is in".

Other than what I have mentioned above, this show is good clean fun. No, it's not as educational as "Blue's Clues" and it isn't as funny (or popular) as "Spongebob Squarepants" can be, but it's better than a lot of other things filling the airwaves.

Recommended: Yes

Type of Program: Cartoon or Animated
Program Quality: Entertaining, but not intellectually or emotionally engaging
Best Suited For: Whole Family