Popular book characters are excellent role models for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Products & Purchases
none
The show is inspired by characters from books by Jim and Kate McMullan.
Positive Messages
a lot
Kids see that problem-solving isn't an exact science, and it often takes many tries before one works. However, each attempt teaches Stinky and Dirty something that helps them get closer to a solution the next time. Teamwork is essential to success, and it's important to recognize that everyone has different expertise to bring to a task. Positive themes like communication and perseverance remind kids of their potential and the rewards of trying new things. Also an excellent example of friendship in the main characters' relationship.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Stinky's enthusiasm and eagerness to help sometimes causes him to be impulsive, but when he slows down and thinks more carefully about a problem, he can come up with a better solution. His positive attitude and determination to see tasks through to the end keep him motivated. In comparison, Dirty is more calculated and levelheaded in his approach to challenges. Ultimately they make a great team while being the best of friends.
Educational Value
a little
Some foundational learning that relates to the characters' tasks, such as building a ramp with a slanted board or moving a heavy object by putting it on wheels. Through trial and error, Stinky and Dirty learn a lot about building things with lots of different materials.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Stinky & Dirty Show is a TV adaptation with the popular characters from the books by Jim and Kate McMullan. The main characters -- a garbage truck and a backhoe -- are best friends who relish opportunities to solve problems around their town and who approach every challenge with lots of ideas. Doing so usually involves building, pulling, or moving something, and they try several times before they finally get the process right. Their experiences are laugh-out-loud funny and reflect how kids' enthusiasm often overshadows their ability to reason, and they also deliver many strong messages about using resources, thinking critically, and, above all, never giving up. Some basic examples of how things work (wheels must be round to roll, solid dirt and mud have different uses) are in play as well, but it's the inspiring reminders about individual potential that stand out most prominently.
The Stinky and Dirty Show RUINED ALL other kids show for us! Unfortunately/fortunately, it's the first show my son started watching. I can't recommend this show enough! It is essentially a well-plotted guidebook to both Maker and Growth Mindsets. High-quality animation, endearing characters with clever names that match the vehicle function (like Chip for the jack hammer tractor, Sweepy for the street sweeper...)., and an intentionally-crafted script make for a wonderful show! Every 2-part episode focuses on obstacles (down to the last watermelon, Go City's race gets off track because the race path gets erased, tugboat's light isn't working and it can't see the way to guide a big ship...) and the process of finding solutions. Stinky and Dirty always work together. Sinky, a garbage truck, declares, "We might find the answer with... the POWER of Garbage", at which point he dumps out his hopper and they creatively use the items in a remedy. I love that they say, "What if..." and then suggest a solution, or "That's interesting," and then describe what they're observing. Dirty sprinkles dirt down, Stinky says, "I know what you're doing! You're thinking! Let me help, let me help!" Then they commence to draw out potential plans. Kids repeat what they hear, and my son started using those phrases early on. And... big points! This show isn't annoying for adults!
Nothing (voices, design) is overly-cutesy. Dan Bern wrote a folksy soundtrack with incredibly poetic and smart lyrics. We listen to the soundtrack from seasons 1 and 2 all the time! Characters speak in their own voice. Vocabulary is impressive but context clues make it understandable for toddlers. Conversations are polite and positive. They've completely avoided any snarkiness, sarcasm, or bad attitudes, but still manage to include and tackle conflict. Need I go on? You will NOT regret anything about watching this show, except for the fact that looking for any future kids show will be a complete disappointment!
I agree with other reviewers that the 2-stars for educational value greatly undersells this show. The characters really model thinking through a problem, trying different solutions, persisting despite sometimes failing, and working together. I only wish there were more female characters. Girls love construction, too!
What's the Story?
In THE STINKY & DIRTY SHOW, best friends Stinky the garbage truck (voiced by Jaden Betts) and Dirty the backhoe (Jacob Guenther) team up to solve various challenges around their town. There's no telling what each day has in store for this pair, but one thing's for sure: Whatever it is, it will inspire all kinds of hilarity before Stinky and Dirty manage to complete the task at hand. No matter the job, from building to moving to executing a rescue mission, these enthusiastic problem-solvers aren't afraid to dive right in and get their hands -- er, wheels -- dirty. Try as they might, though, their best attempts have comical results before they reach a successful solution.
Book characters don't always make the jump to the screen well, but when they do, the movies and TV series can be an excellent complement to the original publication.The Stinky & Dirty Show is just that kind of adaptation. It stays true to the books' illustrative style and keeping things really simple by minimizing additional characters. With the focus firmly on the titular trucks, the show encourages kids to follow Stinky and Dirty's attempts and failures, lessons learned, plans redrawn, and eventual victories, reminding kids that success doesn't always come easily but it's always worth the effort. At first glance, this dented, dirt-smudged duo might not jump out as role model potential for young kids, but they've sure got it where it counts. In the list of adjectives one might use to describe them, "stinky" and "dirty" would come to mind last after observing all the exceptional qualities they have to offer viewers. Eagerness, resourcefulness, patience, perseverance, and self-confidence top that list, all of which are integral to their ability to stick with a tough challenge until they've solved it. When they face a new task, they first let their imaginations guide them, but every subsequent try is based on what they've learned from past attempts. Another bonus? These two friends are better together than they are apart, working side by side without spats or power struggles, and they appreciate rather than lament their differences.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about self-confidence. Kids: Do you admire the characters' can-do attitude in The Stinky & Dirty Show? Are you able to avoid discouragement as well as they do when the going gets tough?
If you've read the books, do the characters on the screen resemble what you imagined them to be? Do your kids enjoy reading (or being read to)? What books are some of your family's favorites?
Are Stinky and Dirty best friends because they're so similar or because they're so different? What differences do you most appreciate in your friends? How does having a friend by your side make challenges easier to manage?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
