No words to describe this series to what it is. Breathtaking, harrowing, woke. It is what the big screen was made for. It reflects upon society and learn kids how to find themselves when there is nothing to find. Probaly the best series ever.
2 Reviews
Okay, so this is going to be a very long review, if you're not willing to read all of this then don't.
xioxii30 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I've recently hyperfixated on this show and viewed all the episodes online, so let me get out my feelings first; Roy is a wonderful, charming show and I've never got its measly IMDB rating of a 5.8. Yes, we've got some odd humour going around here and there but apart from that, it's a very unique show and it's one that's always stuck with me for a while.
So, where do i begin? I personally adore Roy's charm and artstyle, excluding seasons 3-4, honestly never cared for those seasons much. Speaking of Seasons 3 and 4, well. Not very good, in my opinion at least. I personally find the animation style lousy and jokes unmeaningful and repetitive, and it feels like less of a mockumentary than the first two seasons. The new cast also never got me much, and Roy grows noticeably more unlikeable.
By the way, NOT trying to hate on Roy's newer actors and animators. I want to congratulate everyone who worked on the show for doing a fantastic job, but the last two seasons just, never interested me much.
I ADORE seasons 1 and 2! They feel very inclusive, and overall bring a fresh look to your run-of-the-mill CBBC show. The fact that Jam Media - the production company behind Roy, hadn't had prior experience when it came to acting before Roy astounds me, the acting is quite well done !! The acting of Roy's family has to be personal favourite, it's realistic and humourous. Props to the younger actors too, especially Scott Graham for voice acting Roy. And the principal, Mr. Hammond, never failed to scare younger me, too.
While I do agree that the pilot, Badly Drawn Roy is better than Roy itself in terms of genuineness, I don't think it'd make sense to keep Roy as his original, adult-self dealing with unemployment and alcoholism. It's a CBBC show, of course Roy would be adjusted to fit the target demographic of children, and that's what made him such a prominent household name in many British families and abroad. Roy's impact can also be seen in its multiple award nominations, its most significant being its BAFTA win back in late 2012. Not to mention its international release, outside Ireland, and the UK, on ABC3 in Austrailia and to my knowledge, in Scandinavia as well.
Back to Roy himself, the eponymous protagonist of the show. He's a very endearing character, and his troubles with adjusting to the real world are quite accurately portrayed through his silly antics. I know a lot of neurodivergent people who've related to Roy as children, especially me. I've also gone through the experience of trying to fit in, whether into friend groups or general society, as a physically disabled person with diagnosed ADHD, autism, and OCD. Roy is a show that's truly resonated with me.
And as much as the majority of viewers do hate him, he's an 11 year old boy, and a cartoon from birth, what would you even expect? Excluding the later seasons, by the way. If you actually put the time into watching Roy, a lot of the things he does isn't under his control. And when it is, there's usually a lesson learned at the end of the episode, for example in Season 1's 'Testing Testing', where, after messing up an examination, Roy is made to retake the test.
Let's talk about Roy's artstyle. It's pretty simplistic, and that's what contributes to the appeal of the show. Roy's artstyle and animation in prior seasons is what really inspired me to become a cartoonist in the first place, so it's very obvious why each season of the show was released so far apart. I can tell everyone working on Roy at the time put their heart and soul into the show.
Enough about the inner workings of Roy, let's get into the show itself. I find it very silly, yet very realistic at the same time. A playful twist on what it's like to adjust to an unfamiliar environment despite the obvious differences around you. While most episodes cover the day-to-day life of Roy and his goofy shenanigans, there are episodes which also tackle important issues, and what's very unfortunate is that a lot of people never discuss them when covering the show.
Season 1's 'Roy Band' focuses on Roy's attempt to win a cash prize from a talent show to keep his Polish friend Jack in Ireland after his father loses his job. A more serious episode, 'On the Run' follows Roy as he faces struggles while running away from home. Going over to Season 2, 'Death In The Family' covers loss and Roy's guilt on inheriting his great aunt's fortune after she passes away. These everyday struggles intertwined with its lighthearted comical aspect really help in making a show that just stands out.
Now, is Roy an outstanding CBBC show? Not really, but it's nowhere near below average either.
It's overall just a decent and fun show, one that can be enjoyed by people outside the target audience. My aunt also found herself hooked on the show after my cousin and I introduced it to her. The mockumentary also does a good job on portraying Ireland too, I even found my family and I travelling to Ireland when i was 7 just so I could visit Roy himself. Those hopes obviously didn't turn true.
Back to the point, it's just a shame that its later seasons left an unpleasant mark on the show, but apart from that, Roy is and has always been my favourite CBBC show.
-Not including the abhorrent piece of media that is Little Roy by the way, I still have no idea to this day why he was made so skinny as compared to his canonical younger self.
Maybe I am being too biased, but the show hasn't had the attention it deserves over these past few years.
7/10, but I'm deciding to add two more points for the show having such a positive influence on my childhood.
So, where do i begin? I personally adore Roy's charm and artstyle, excluding seasons 3-4, honestly never cared for those seasons much. Speaking of Seasons 3 and 4, well. Not very good, in my opinion at least. I personally find the animation style lousy and jokes unmeaningful and repetitive, and it feels like less of a mockumentary than the first two seasons. The new cast also never got me much, and Roy grows noticeably more unlikeable.
By the way, NOT trying to hate on Roy's newer actors and animators. I want to congratulate everyone who worked on the show for doing a fantastic job, but the last two seasons just, never interested me much.
I ADORE seasons 1 and 2! They feel very inclusive, and overall bring a fresh look to your run-of-the-mill CBBC show. The fact that Jam Media - the production company behind Roy, hadn't had prior experience when it came to acting before Roy astounds me, the acting is quite well done !! The acting of Roy's family has to be personal favourite, it's realistic and humourous. Props to the younger actors too, especially Scott Graham for voice acting Roy. And the principal, Mr. Hammond, never failed to scare younger me, too.
While I do agree that the pilot, Badly Drawn Roy is better than Roy itself in terms of genuineness, I don't think it'd make sense to keep Roy as his original, adult-self dealing with unemployment and alcoholism. It's a CBBC show, of course Roy would be adjusted to fit the target demographic of children, and that's what made him such a prominent household name in many British families and abroad. Roy's impact can also be seen in its multiple award nominations, its most significant being its BAFTA win back in late 2012. Not to mention its international release, outside Ireland, and the UK, on ABC3 in Austrailia and to my knowledge, in Scandinavia as well.
Back to Roy himself, the eponymous protagonist of the show. He's a very endearing character, and his troubles with adjusting to the real world are quite accurately portrayed through his silly antics. I know a lot of neurodivergent people who've related to Roy as children, especially me. I've also gone through the experience of trying to fit in, whether into friend groups or general society, as a physically disabled person with diagnosed ADHD, autism, and OCD. Roy is a show that's truly resonated with me.
And as much as the majority of viewers do hate him, he's an 11 year old boy, and a cartoon from birth, what would you even expect? Excluding the later seasons, by the way. If you actually put the time into watching Roy, a lot of the things he does isn't under his control. And when it is, there's usually a lesson learned at the end of the episode, for example in Season 1's 'Testing Testing', where, after messing up an examination, Roy is made to retake the test.
Let's talk about Roy's artstyle. It's pretty simplistic, and that's what contributes to the appeal of the show. Roy's artstyle and animation in prior seasons is what really inspired me to become a cartoonist in the first place, so it's very obvious why each season of the show was released so far apart. I can tell everyone working on Roy at the time put their heart and soul into the show.
Enough about the inner workings of Roy, let's get into the show itself. I find it very silly, yet very realistic at the same time. A playful twist on what it's like to adjust to an unfamiliar environment despite the obvious differences around you. While most episodes cover the day-to-day life of Roy and his goofy shenanigans, there are episodes which also tackle important issues, and what's very unfortunate is that a lot of people never discuss them when covering the show.
Season 1's 'Roy Band' focuses on Roy's attempt to win a cash prize from a talent show to keep his Polish friend Jack in Ireland after his father loses his job. A more serious episode, 'On the Run' follows Roy as he faces struggles while running away from home. Going over to Season 2, 'Death In The Family' covers loss and Roy's guilt on inheriting his great aunt's fortune after she passes away. These everyday struggles intertwined with its lighthearted comical aspect really help in making a show that just stands out.
Now, is Roy an outstanding CBBC show? Not really, but it's nowhere near below average either.
It's overall just a decent and fun show, one that can be enjoyed by people outside the target audience. My aunt also found herself hooked on the show after my cousin and I introduced it to her. The mockumentary also does a good job on portraying Ireland too, I even found my family and I travelling to Ireland when i was 7 just so I could visit Roy himself. Those hopes obviously didn't turn true.
Back to the point, it's just a shame that its later seasons left an unpleasant mark on the show, but apart from that, Roy is and has always been my favourite CBBC show.
-Not including the abhorrent piece of media that is Little Roy by the way, I still have no idea to this day why he was made so skinny as compared to his canonical younger self.
Maybe I am being too biased, but the show hasn't had the attention it deserves over these past few years.
7/10, but I'm deciding to add two more points for the show having such a positive influence on my childhood.
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