Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 4+
Animated spin-off touts problem-solving skills, plus music.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
-
Products & Purchases
a little
The show is an animated spin-off of The Fresh Beat Band and features a lot of the quartet's music, which is available for purchase. Pop culture parodies such as a TV show called The Wow Factor (instead of The X Factor) and a band called Three Directions (instead of One Direction).
-
Positive Messages
a lot
Kids see the band members work as a team to solve the day's mystery. Everyone has a job to do, and each member is important to the group's success. Problem-solving skills often come into play in the stories, so viewers see the value of cooperation in taking on a challenge. The characters are a diverse bunch.
-
Positive Role Models
a lot
Every Fresh Beat Band member is helpful, industrious, and committed to solving the day's mystery, which creates effective teamwork. Other characters' negative qualities such as vanity and selfishness have repercussions for them.
-
Educational Value
very little
Excellent messages about getting along with others and working together to achieve a common goal.
-
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Fresh Beat Band of Spies is an animated version of The Fresh Beat Band, in which the popular bandmates moonlight as sleuths. Designed for preschoolers, this series shows the characters working together to solve problems while they piece together clues to mysteries that happen around them. For a whodunit, the show favors quirky villains over any real scares, and the upbeat soundtrack helps lighten the mood. If your preschoolers aren't familiar with the Fresh Beat Band's work, this show will change that, likely making fans out of both them and you.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Fresh Beat Band of Spies
Parent and Kid Reviews
See all
- Parents say (3)
- Kids say (1)
age 6+
Based on 3 parent reviews
MarielG2000 Adult
May 14, 2019
age 3+
A very good action-packed Nick Jr show for young children!
Ok, I gotta confess that this is not only entertaining. But it is also educational for younger children. The fictionalized versions of the Fresh Beat Band from their own show in 2009 teaching kids teamwork, courage and compassion. Simple but awesome animation, great theme song, plots makes any sense and my favourite character is Kiki. I don't get it why Nickelodeon decided to cancel this show in 2016, where Mahou Tsukai Precure was debuted. Is it because it was underrated or what? I hope it gets a reboot of this soon. Then the Fresh Beat Band fans like me will be super thrilled
RobertBouknight Parent of 10-year-old
July 11, 2020
age 7+
ALL GOOD>>!>!>!>!>>
I watched this and it was surprizing the credits song is kinda awful
Rate TV show
See all 3 parent reviews
What's the Story?
In FRESH BEAT BAND OF SPIES, best friends and bandmates Kiki (voiced by Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer), Marina (Tara Perry), Twist (Jon Beavers), and Shout (Thomas Hobson) team up to solve mysteries as undercover spies when they're not making music together. Armed with all kinds of super spy gadgets, these four gumshoes go on location to unmask the perpetrators of wacky happenings and restore order to their town.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (1):
This animated series puts a Scooby-Doo twist on Nickelodeon's popular original live-action show, The Fresh Beat Band. Geared toward preschoolers, this lively version puts a premium on messages about cooperation and problem-solving. One situation after another force the characters to use critical thinking to outwit the bad guys, offering kids fun adventures with some decent messages to boot.
Of course, in so doing, Fresh Beat Band of Spies also introduces a whole new group of viewers to the musical talents of the successful Fresh Beat Band, creating a new, younger clientele of fans for the prolific group that provides the soundtrack to this series. Fortunately the music is easy on the ears (even parents'), and its content is entirely appropriate for this age group, but know that by watching, your kids may take an interest in checking out the original series as well as the band's musical projects.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the band members work together to solve the problems they face in Fresh Beat Band of Spies. Does the group have a leader, or do they each take on that role at some point? How do they respond when their plans don't work out at first?
How do their spy gadgets help them? What kinds of gadgets do we use in our daily lives? Kids: If you could invent a gadget to solve a problem, what would it be and how would it work?
Kids: Do you like the music on this show? Which songs are your favorites? Now that you've seen this how, are you inclined to want to watch The Fresh Beat Band?
How do the characters in Fresh Beat Band of Spies demonstrate teamwork? Why is this an important character strength?
TV Details
- Premiere date: June 15, 2015
- Cast: Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer, Jon Beavers, Thomas Hobson, Tara Perry
- Network: Nick Jr.
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, Music and Sing-Along
- Character Strengths: Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-Y
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: August 26, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
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.
Fresh Beat Band of Spies
Suggest an Update
Your privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our privacy policy.
