Do cartoon charcters reallty act their ages?

I

Imperial

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Simple question really; do cartoon characters really act the ages they are supposed to be? Does this affect a series' quality? Is there any point to giving them an age at all?
 
Unless it's a more reality based animated show, usually they don't. Little kids that are like 8 years old speak more like adults and can come and go as they please without supervision, etc.
 
I don't think it's fair to bunch them all together. George (of the Jungle) is a Grown man but doesn't act like it, while Kim Possible is a teen and she's very smart and mature for her age.
 
Most cartoon children seem to act like miniature adults vs actual children; see: Bart Simpson, Lisa Simpson, Timmy Turner, etc. When *I* was 10, I was way more occupied with toys or watching cartoons than, uh, knowing who Liza Minelli or Pablo Neruda were... or so forth...

For teenagers, this seems less so, maybe since they're supposed to be (somewhat) more mature than children. Though even the teenagers seem to have way more freedom than I ever had as an adolescent (getting to stay out *very* late, rarely seeming to check in with parents, etc.---see: the Scooby Doo gang).
 
Well, my little cousin who is 10 is pretty savvy for his age. He knows how to hook up a wifi network, how to troubleshoot computers, etc. And he likes to make sarcastic remarks about the latest celebrities, which kinda freaks me out.
 
No ages aren't necessary. Some cartoons have 8 year olds baby-sitting, taking geometry, and hanging out at the mall with no adults. So yeah basically no point.
 
Depends on which version of George you speak of. The classic George (the only one I will aknowledge) does act like an adult. A really stupid, developmentally challenged adult, but an adult none the less.

Somehow, I feel the newer TMNT act slightly older than teenagers (except Mike and to some extent Don- being a technonerd teen), while the 1980's ones sort of felt more teenaged (probably because all the merchandise had them surfing, eating pizza, and saying Cowabunga more).

And of course, there's Slappy Squirrel, who really acts her age. A bitter old celebrity who has nothing but nasty things to say to the newcomers of the day. And grouchy much?

And the Muppet babies didn't really act like Babies... except Animal, of course. And he grew up to act not too much different.

But then there are characters that seem to have no age at all, and are very hard to tell if they're acting their ages or not.
 
For perfect examples of characters who definitely don't act their age look no further than Stan, Kyle and Cartman from South Park. Same goes for Lisa Simpson, or Double D from Ed, Edd and Eddy.
 
Characters in the DCAU generally act their age. That's why I really like JLU's portrayel of Captain Marvel, since it shows how 10 year olds really think and act, versus how most other shows portray them.
 
Your questions in order.

No.I'd say half the time they don't act their ages.It can,depending on the formula of the show.Is one of these show unspoken, primary goals to talk down to it's audience?Yes.Kids need parents in TV,that's just the way it has to be even if the parent only appears very briefly and infrequently.Age shows how they should be acting,even if their not.Hence,(:sweat: )talking down to us...
 
In Ed, Edd'n Eddy, the character Double D acts like an eldery advanced scientist, but when talking agewise, I think Double D is a preteen/teen, even though his behavior doesn't match that age group much:D
 
What kids did you hang out with? I swear that Matt and Trey were dead on in their thesis for the show, that little kids aren't as sweet and charming as everyone pretends them to be. I know more kids who acted like those three (except for the "You know, I learned something today" part) than any of the others.

On that note, I have never met any kids that were as neurotic (except for me), or philosophical as the Peanuts.
 
Teenagers in cartoons rarely act the way real ones do. You never see a girl in a cartoon drop out of high school to have a baby. Depending on your viewpoint or politics, cartoon teens are either less mature than real ones for having no developing interest in their body's pleasure centers, or more mature for having the willpower to not surrender to their hormones. You make the call.
 
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