We Spy Another Hit in the Carmen Sandiego Franchise

Dust off your spy gear because this week, the ladies are in the studio to review the animated children’s show Carmen Sandiego, a reboot of the franchise that should have Gen Xers and Millennials nostalgic for their childhoods. The newest iteration of Carmen is as mysterious and exciting as ever, but she has turned over a new leaf. With the help of her trusty sidekicks, she travels the world foiling high dollar criminal capers and donates the funds to noble causes.

OUR THOUGHTS

Laura and Kara start the show off with a Rockapella-esque rendition of the new theme song.

Kara vaguely remembers playing the 1985 video game that kicked off the franchise, but does not recall the show. Her husband and one of her friends, on the other hand, vividly remember playing the game and watching the show. Laura’s feelings about the franchise were mostly about Carmen herself, as she spent her childhood in awe of Carmen’s vibe.

We all know that Kara loves a well-selected cast, and this series delivers. Gina Rodriguez as Carmen and Finn Wolfhard as techie Player lead an impressive group of talent that is full of heavy hitters. Laura aptly describes Finn Wolfhard’s breakout show Stranger Things as Spooky Goonies.

As fun as it is to watch, the hosts also appreciate the educational value of the show. With an abundance of information about other areas of the world interspersed in each episode, there’s plenty for kids to learn about as they join Carmen on her missions across the globe. The show also awakens Laura and Kara’s travel bug and they sigh over where each of them would go, if given the option.

Laura: Japan

Kara: Costa Rica or New Zealand

They both appreciate the pettiness and selfishness of the thieves on the show, with one memorable moment being when a thief from VILE steals gold artifacts to make cuff links. Considering the lack of self-awareness from today’s elite, this tip of the cap doesn’t go unnoticed.

There are some plot holes the hosts could not get over. Who is paying for all of Carmen’s travel and where are all of her clothes coming from? Is VILE financing all of this? And what about the Music hypnotism episode? How is the music so selective? We need answers!

POTENTIAL ISSUES:

In the last two years, there has been a movement towards a proper representation of different cultures. This show misses the mark a bit here with some obviously fake accents. They’re a bit distracting, but nothing the ladies see was over the top.

As with most spy or thieving stories, this show has some violence, criminal behavior, and impulsive behavior.

SHOULD THEY WATCH IT:

Kara: Enthusiastic Yes

Laura: Yesss

Kara’s son Michael (liked it) tuned out most of the way through season 1 and Laura’s daughter Daphne insisted Laura watch it by herself while she watched her own show. Daphne gets an incomplete here.

SIDE CONVERSATIONS

Choo Choo! The Wordle train is coming into the station. That’s actually Kara’s word: TRAIN. Laura’s is YEAST. Both appear to be working just fine. Try them out, get yourself some vowels and an S or T. The New York Times seems to make it more difficult, even if they claim it isn’t intentional.

If one word isn’t enough, try octordle. For the Swifties out there, try Taylor Swift-heardle.

The ladies review a Buzzfeed article about the creepiest things that parents have heard their children say, and it is full of ghostly visions, psychic predictions and accurate past life commentary. Laura and Kara’s children have run some creepy stuff by them as well. Laura’s daughter Daphne may have predicted a neighbor’s pregnancy and Kara’s son Michael used to talk about his other mommy who lived by the moon. What do Moon Baby Michael and Transcendental Daphne know that we don’t? One thing Michael knows is that vultures toss their cookies when they’re scared, and he whispered this in his mother’s ear once when she wasn’t expecting to hear it.

Have any creepy stories about your kids? Tell us about them on Facebook or Instagram and we’ll share them on our next show!

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