Oh Yuck! Leaves the Hosts Divided: Is it Too Gross for Kids?

Oh Yuck! is based off of the self-titled book about Septico, a scientist who runs experiments on all things disgusting. Meanwhile, there is a threat among the science crew, as Pristine is sent by the O’Cleans to spy on Septico and steal his scientific secrets. The show has 13 episodes and can be found on Netflix

The vibe of the show has a nonstalgic feel, as it borrows themes from Pee Wee’s Playhouse and Beakman’s world. Any parent who is born in the 80s and enjoyed these shows might have a nice trip down memory lane while watching.

Who is the audience?

IMDB states that this show is very specifically for kids aged 11-13. Anyone outside of this age range has been given a fair warning.

The good

It teaches children about the things that people normally find disgusting. Since kids are already fascinated by poop/farts/etc, why not make it educational?

There are lots of historical information about how society across the globe has viewed and treated illness, ailments, and all things yucky.

The creators have a very noble intent. They want the viewers to turn towards these naturally occurring phenomenon rather than turn away from it, which is what our inclination is to do, because these things are gross. They push this idea that nature nurtures us and to become repulsed by it, and to fight it ultimately works against us. which is why the O'Cleans are perfect villains for the show. They make a point to let us know that when O'Cleans get sick, they get very sick, because everything has to be bleached and sterile in their environment. The O'Cleans are very intent on despising the gross side of nature, while also acknowledging that they need it, as much as they hate to admit it. Which is why they have Pristine invading his lab in the first place.

Potentially problematic

This show doesn’t hold back on all things snot, poop, farts, you name it. If you have a weak stomach, you will not find a break from the all of the yucky things this show has to offer. It’s also very exaggerated grossness that might be too overwhelming/overstimulating for younger kids. In fact, Kara’s son was so scared by the Fatberg in the show that he had nightmares for weeks!

Pristine is a great character, in theory, but the show fails her in so many ways. We wish for a more dynamic storyline for this woman who is mostly set up to react to the grossness of her surroundings. As the seemingly most intelligent and put-together person, her role is mostly to react to this bizarre environment, and ultimately, to conform to it. And while she has an interesting reason to be there, with dreams of ultimate power, in the meantime, she doesn’t do much with this ambition.

Final Verdict

Kara thinks you can skip this show, but Laura is a yes.

Wheels off moments

Laura talks about her daughter using her own parenting skills against her. Some of her strategy is spot on, but there’s one crucial missing piece to her daughter’s plan that makes the whole thing fall apart pretty quickly. Kara’s son is also using picking up his mom’s habits, but it’s more about her mannerisms, which is causing her to take a second look at how she responds to stressful situations. Michael has also adopted a habit of unloading his frustrations of the school day onto Kara the minute they get into the car.

This show inspires Laura to ask the question, “how might I have died before modern medicine?”. She thinks it would have been related to her persistent ear infections as a child. Kara, goes a hard left and imagines herself being accused as a witch. We all know what happened to witches back in the day. Either way, neither imagines they would have survived in an earlier era.

Of course, the hosts are inspired to talk about the gross things they’ve witnessed in real life, and they don’t disappoint. Kara talks about a time she dropped an old flytrap onto her husband, while Laura reminisces about a time her chicken pox got infected.

For more information about this show, check out our episode where give a more in-depth perspective about our thoughts on Oh Yuck!