Ruby Gloom TV Review | Common Sense Media

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Parents' Guide to

Ruby Gloom TV YTV , Pop TV , Pop Girl Kids' Animation 2006 Ruby Gloom Poster Image
  • Common Sense Says
  • Parents Say 9 Reviews
  • Kids Say 11 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Joyce Slaton By Joyce Slaton , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 5+

Sweet friendship and cooperation in a gothic setting.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Ruby Gloom is a charming animated series that many have likened to Strawberry Shortcake gone goth. Ruby Gloom has the same sort of can-do hey-kids-let's-put-on-a-show energy, with a group of close-knot friends who can…

 Why Age 5+? Products & Purchases

The entire series began as an apparel/accessories line, though it's no longe

 Sex, Romance & Nudity

It is sometimes suggested that Ruby and Skull Boy like each other as more than f

 Violence & Scariness

Characters bonk into each other and their heads make a coconut sound, pets get s

 Drinking, Drugs & Smoking Not present Language Not present Any Positive Content? Positive Messages

The characters on Ruby Gloom love each other and accept their differenc

 Positive Role Models

Ruby is unfailingly polite and kind to those around her, be they human, animal,

Educational Value

Ruby and her friends have adventures together that stress the virtues of coopera

  • Parents Need to Know

    Parents need to know that Ruby Gloom is a charming animated series that many have likened to Strawberry Shortcake gone goth. Ruby Gloom has the same sort of can-do hey-kids-let's-put-on-a-show energy, with a group of close-knot friends who can accomplish anything if they just stick together. The setting of Ruby Gloom is a crumbling gothic mansion with ghosts and monsters, dark shadows and looming trees; this may intimidate the youngest of viewers. But kids even a year or two older will appreciate the sweetness of Ruby and her pals. Unlike many animated female characters, Ruby also appears childlike (instead of like a sexualized mini-adult), and wears age-appropriate clothing. Parents may not like, however, that Ruby and her friends appear to live alone, with no adults in sight.

  • Products & Purchases

    some

    The entire series began as an apparel/accessories line, though it's no longer easily available.

  • Sex, Romance & Nudity

    very little

    It is sometimes suggested that Ruby and Skull Boy like each other as more than friends, but they never date or kiss.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Violence & Scariness

    very little

    Characters bonk into each other and their heads make a coconut sound, pets get stuck in tight places. There are many gothic touches such as ghosts and dark shadows that may scare very young viewers.

    Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

    Get started Close

  • Positive Messages

    a lot

    The characters on Ruby Gloom love each other and accept their differences. They're always ready to help a friend in need.

  • Positive Role Models

    a lot

    Ruby is unfailingly polite and kind to those around her, be they human, animal, or something else (ghosts, stuffed socks come to life). Though characters on the show sometimes make mistakes, they learn from them by the end of each episode.

  • Educational Value

    a little

    Ruby and her friends have adventures together that stress the virtues of cooperation and kindness. Plotlines and side-jokes often involve historical events such as the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

Where to Watch

Parent and Kid Reviews

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  • Parents Say (9)
  • Kids Say (11)
age 4+

Based on 9 parent reviews

See all 9 parent reviews age 5+

Based on 11 kid reviews

Kids say this show offers a delightful mix of spooky elements and heartwarming themes, making it ideal for both children and adults who appreciate its charm. While some characters might be a bit scary to younger viewers, the overall messages are uplifting and enjoyable, often leading to fond nostalgia for those who grew up watching it.

  • spooky appeal
  • charming characters
  • good messages
  • suitable for all ages
  • nostalgic enjoyment
Summarized with AI
See all 11 kid reviews

What's the Story?

Ruby Gloom had un-promising beginning as an apparel line popular in mall-punk stores like Hot Topic. But thanks to lovely animation and thoughtful, intelligent scripting, the animated series is one of the most charming out there, starring \"the happiest girl in the world,\" the titular Ruby Gloom (Sarah Gadon), a 10-year-old who lives in a curlicued gothic mansion with her cat, Doom Kitty. Ruby has a pack of unusual friends, such as Skull Boy (Scott McCord), a living skeleton, cyclops Iris (Stacey DePass), accident-prone Misery (Emily Hampshire), and other assorted oddballs. They get into scrapes and have gentle adventures, always solving problems together and helping their friends.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review: Parents say (9 ): Kids say (11 ):

A nice mix of sweet-and-sour, Ruby Gloom's dark gothic setting underscores all the cooperation and kindness. Adults will enjoy jokes that kids may miss, such as when it's revealed that Ruby eats Glum Flakes cereal for breakfast. And all but the most sensitive kids will be too enraptured by fantastic elements like talking pictures and a school for ghosts to be unnerved by dark elements like Misery's constant talk of disasters and death.

Adults who catch an episode here and there won't be surprised to learn that Ruby Gloom was produced in Canada: there's a gentle, slow vibe at work here that's different from many American animated series. Many of the main writers are female as well, and the friendships between the show's female characters Misery, Ruby, and Iris are particularly well-written and realistic, with characters occasionally griping at each other but always coming through in a pinch.

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Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether Ruby's house and friends are meant to be funny, scary, or both at the same time. What is scary about characters like Skull Boy and Misery? What makes the scariness funny at the same time?

  • The main character of Ruby Gloom is Ruby herself, a girl. Can you think of other animated series with a girl as the main character? How is Ruby Gloom like or different from these series?

  • Ruby Gloom has a lot of situations that can't happen in real life, such as when ghost-boy Boo Boo has to learn how to scare people or he can't pass through walls. Why do cartoons so frequently illustrate fantasy scenarios like this? How does animation lend itself to fantastic plots?

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TV Details

  • Premiere date : October 13, 2006
  • Cast : Sarah Gadon , Scott McCord , Stacey DePass
  • Networks : YTV , Pop TV , Pop Girl
  • Genre : Kids' Animation
  • Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Friendship
  • Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion
  • TV rating : TV-G
  • Last updated : October 9, 2025
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Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Ruby Gloom

Suggest an Update

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Related Topics

  • Communication
  • Compassion
  • Magic
  • Fantasy
  • Friendship

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