4 Reasons You're Going to Want to Binge-Watch Carmen Sandiego With Your Kids

Updated on 1/20/2019 at 9:10 AM

Netflix announced in 2017 that it'd be rebooting the '90s hit show Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, and finally, the long wait is over — it's available to stream now! The nine-episode Netflix original series, called Carmen Sandiego, stars Gina Rodriguez as the voice of Carmen, and will follow her "new international capers as well as past escapades that led to her becoming a superthief."

After watching the series, we can confirm: you and your kids are going to love it. Whether you watched the show yourself as a kid or not, the new series is so good, you'll want to snuggle up with your kids and binge all nine episodes. If you're not fully convinced yet, read ahead for the main reasons why we'll be having a viewing party with our own kiddos (and check out TheCarmenEffect.com to read about the lasting impact Carmen has had on the world).

It features a strong, badass female.

It's important for both girls and boys to see a strong, independent female as the focus of an entire series. Carmen is a total powerhouse, and even though she's a thief, she solely steals from other thieves (she uses her "wicked powers" for good!).

It will hold their attention.

I popped the screeners of this show on while I was working, just to get a little taste of it before watching it at home, and before I realized it, I'd watched an entire episode without doing so much as 30 seconds of work (sorry, boss). It's such a well-done series and its compelling storylines really hold your attention. Your youngest kiddos might not be as wholeheartedly enthralled, but for kids who are old enough to grasp the goings-on of the episodes, they'll be hooked. If you can pull yourself away from the screen (I'm telling you, it's hard), you might be able to sneak in a little me time while they watch.

It adds dimension to the '90s series.

Carmen Sandiego doesn't just tell new present-day adventure stories about Carmen, it delves into her past to explore her childhood, how she became a thief, and even how she got her famous name. There are also a bunch of new characters and plenty of fun differences from the original, including that in this version, Player (voiced by Finn Wolfhard), isn't just a voice but an actual person you get to see on screen.

It's funny and exciting to watch.

At one point Carmen tackles a mime who's miming running away from her and I literally snorted before letting out a cackle. And that's just in the second episode. There are a ton of funny one-liners and several instances of cartoonish physical comedy that'll keep your kids (and you) laughing so hard they'll be holding their bellies.