ASK THE STORYBOTS Emphasizes Learning With Few Questionable Elements
By Movieguide® Contributor
ASK THE STORYBOTS is an animated show that seeks to answer curious kids’ questions. It features celebrity guests, from Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Garner to Wanda Sykes and others. Produced by creative brothers Evan and Gregg Spiridellis, ASK THE STORYBOTS was originally just a YouTube series and now has three seasons on Netflix.
The show is designed to be a little bit like what happens behind the scenes when someone googles a question. The storybots are little computer parts. Whenever a real-life 4, 5 or 6-year-old kid asks a question, like “Why is the sky blue?” or “Why can’t I eat desserts all the time?” it’s the storybots’ job to find the answer—and quickly. Their logic usually leads them in the wrong direction at first. For example, to find out where rain comes from, the bots start looking for a reindeer. Gradually, they get help as they go along until they find their answer. Each episode has a unique theme. One will have the bots going through a wasteland to find their answer, while in another, they’ll be out in the Wild West.
The show is similar to SESAME SREET in that it also has a lot of interrupting scenes. Each episode is broken up with a song or two about a shape, color or number or about something like cleaning up. Then, there will be another song about an animal or vegetable, and there’s always a short scene about a random fact. All of these things are unrelated to the episode’s theme. But despite all the interruptions, the show doesn’t lose focus on what the episode is about. It actually reiterates the answer to the episode’s question in three different ways at the end of each episode.
The show doesn’t have one dominant worldview, but the storybots work together harmoniously. They love learning and being helpful. They are very enthusiastic about answering a real-life kid’s question. At one point, they meet a hippie who says the universe can whisper, but the storybots say that the hippie doesn’t make any sense. A somewhat similar scenario happens in another episode, and again, the storybots dismiss the nonsensical and push for a practical answer. One or two episodes mention when dinosaurs lived, and the timeline differs from traditional Biblical beliefs.
The show highlights humor along with learning. They really try to make each episode as entertaining as possible for youngsters and older viewers. There is some light potty humor and the occasional pun or quip that might go over a little one’s head. One of the characters yells everything he says, and “heck” is said once or twice. There is some occasional peril. One episode also shows what happens when one has too much sugar in a college fraternity initiation parody.
Each episode of ASK THE STORYBOTS is unpredictable and has different themes. It is very upbeat, random and energized. It features different animation styles and a bit of puppet work from episode to episode. Some episodes feel like mini-movies, while others are more laid-back. They vary in intensity. The whole style and arrangement of the show is very engaging and unique.
Overall, this kids’ show takes a fresh approach to learning with some moderately questionable elements. It doesn’t get into any kind of creation theory or perspective, but there is lots of opportunity for parents to talk with their kids about that through each episode. It’s a fun and simplified way for preschool kids and older to learn about complex subjects.
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