Carmen Sandiego: Where in the World Does this Remake Rank?!

Know Before You Watch
Carmen Sandiego

Review: Carmen Sandiego on Netflix
Rating: TV-Y7-FV
Age Suggestion: 5+yrs  
Episode Length: 3 Seasons with 25min. episodes + Interactive Game
Where to Watch: Netflix
Warnings: This show is aimed at a little bit of an older audience, so my only caution would be for younger ones who would have a hard time understanding the Robin Hood concept of robbing the rich bad guys while being a good guy.
Also, there is some minimal cartoon violence.
How Would We Rate It?: It’s one of our favorite Carmen Sandiego tv adaptions!

Summary of Carmen Sandiego on Netflix

Carmen is BACK y’all! Only, where in the world did she jet off to now?! It’s a twist on the original- a great one we think!
Follow Carmen Sandiego and her team on her geographic adventures- only this time you’re not rooting for her to be caught, and you’re not an ACME agent or running from the VILE goons, you’re running with Carmen. This show had me hooked after the first ten minutes of episode one! Who are the bad guys, how hard can we root for an anti-hero, and is anything really what it appears to be?! We’re excited to find out! We hope Netflix keeps this one around for a long time!  

Carmen Sandiego Discussion Questions:

1) Why does Carmen steal?

2) Who can Carmen really trust?

3) Do you think that ACME are good guys or bad guys?

4) If you had to go on an adventure- which of the places would you want to go to?

5) Who would you want to be guiding you through the adventure- like Player does for Carmen?

6) Did you learn anything about the globe?

7) If you were raised the same way Carmen was- what do you think your skill set would be?

8) Which of the skill sets, or character powers, would you like to have?

9) What was the coolest geography fact you learned?

Carmen Sandiego Review:

      I’m always wary of, and excited for, nostalgic remakes. I started watching this show with the intention to watch a couple of episodes to review and then move onto the next show but it hooked me, and now I can’t wait for more episodes! The voice acting is great, the animation is eye catching and totally sets the right mood, and the storyline is better than I hoped it would be. A new Robin Hood twist for the kids that also teaches them things about geography and other cultures.

Much like the Magic School Bus- it’s intended for an older elementary/younger middle school audience but kids younger and older than that will enjoy it too! I appreciate the strong female leads in all three of the main groups. There are a couple of great articles floating around about how the show tackles the ingrained patriarchy we’re so accustomed too- and I agree with that, but I think it offers a lot more than that. I also appreciate that the educational facts aren’t all just thrown in- a lot of them are repeated and are part of the main storyline. It makes me really want to find the old computer game version of this and take it for a spin (although I don’t believe my geography skills have increased any since I last played it!! Ha!)

Season One Carmen Sandiego Review:
Season one focuses on Carmen’s backstory and how she became Carmen Sandiego. You also start exploring the globe and different cultures through the eyes of Carmen, who has read about all of these places but never been anywhere besides VILE isle.

Season Two Carmen Sandiego Review:
This season focuses a lot on Carmen trying to figure out who her biological family is. The educational content is just as-if not more, prominent in this season.

This is one you can watch and enjoy with the whole family- and you might even learn something along the way! 😊  

Carmen Sandiego Social Studies Journal!

We have a social studies journal for sale that covers season one of Carmen Sandiego on Netflix.
*You can find it here from our digital store for $2.99.
*Or find it here on Teachers Pay Teachers for $3.50.

Carmen Sandiego Interactive Game on Netflix:
To Steal or Not to Steal

Review: Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal Interactive
Rating: TV-Y7
Age Suggestion: The Whole Family  
Episode Length: Currently there is 1 episode with 8 possible endings. If you play through once, you spend about twenty- thirty minutes on it. If you go through more, you could spend more than an hour on this one episode.
Where to Watch: Netflix

What Is It?

Netflix is being careful to avoid the term “choose your own adventure”, but that’s what this is. It is an interactive show/game. Carmen’s on an adventure but needs to rescue her team, what choices does she make along the way? YOU DECIDE!

Is it educational?

The show itself always has an educational focus, the interactive show- not as much. However, it is still a really fun game that you can have multiple kids working on together at the same time. There are definitely things they can learn from the show and the experience.

Carmen Sandiego Parents Guide: Interactive Game

I really enjoyed playing through this interactive adventure. I love that Netflix is doing these interactive shows! They are so great for group gatherings and a really fun bridge between TV Shows and group games. We love the show Carmen Sandiego on Netflix and the interactive To Steal or Not to Steal show!

What to Check Out Next?

Check out our Social Studies Curriculum Journal that goes along with season one of this show. You can find it in our store here! And on Teachers Pay Teachers here!

If you enjoyed this review, check out our review of You Vs. Wild, another interactive show on Netflix.

You might also be interested in our blog on 25 Board Games to Play Together!

Check out the books based on the series as well!

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