Spider-Man: The New Animated Series – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Spider-Man: The New Animated Series

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

show2003

48%

WISE Score

The Spider-Man show with early-2000s CGI that's aged about as well as your flip phone.

Spider-Man: The New Animated Series

show

TV-PG, 2003

48%

WISE Score

The Spider-Man show with early-2000s CGI that's aged about as well as your flip phone.

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the deal: this show was a bold experiment in 2003—CGI TV animation was new and expensive. But it's 2025, and this looks like a PlayStation 2 game that forgot to be fun.

The IMDb 6.9 tells you everything: even when it aired, people thought it was just okay. It got cancelled after 13 episodes. The tone is darker and more serious than what most kids expect from Spider-Man today, and the visual style has aged so poorly that it's genuinely distracting.

If your kid is deep into Spider-Man lore and wants to see every iteration, fine—it's not harmful, just dated. But there are so many better Spider-Man options (Spider-Verse movies, Spectacular Spider-Man, MCU films) that recommending this feels like suggesting they watch VHS recordings when 4K streaming exists.

Skip it unless you're a completist or feeling extremely nostalgic for 2003.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media says 9+, which tracks for the action violence and darker tone. But honestly, most kids in that range would rather watch Into the Spider-Verse, the MCU films, or even the 1990s animated series. This is really for Spider-Man completists or nostalgic millennials, not a first-choice kids' show.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Classic superhero fare with Peter Parker juggling responsibility and heroism. Models courage and helping others, though the early-2000s CGI and tone can feel a bit edgy/dark compared to more modern Spider-Man iterations. The show doesn't lean heavily into warmth or cooperation—it's more brooding teen vigilante than friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Imaginative

The 2003 CGI animation was groundbreaking at the time but now looks dated and stiff, which dampens imaginative engagement. The premise itself—teen with spider powers—is inherently creative, but this particular series doesn't invite much exploration or creative expression; it's a fairly straightforward action show with limited world-building compared to later Spider-Man properties.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates it for age 9, and it's got standard superhero action violence—punches, web-slinging fights, nothing gory or traumatic. No sexual content or major scares beyond typical comic book villains. The 'wanted by police' angle adds some moral complexity but nothing shocking. Kids mode available on platforms is a plus. Loses points for some darker tone and intensity that might surprise younger viewers expecting lighter Spider-Man content.

Enriching

Touches on themes of responsibility, identity, and doing the right thing even when misunderstood. However, it's primarily an action vehicle without much depth or character development. The entertainment value is middling—IMDb 6.9 suggests it was received as fine-not-great even in its era. Not particularly skill-building or insight-generating beyond basic hero's journey beats.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

It's Spider-Man, so the core concept of teen with powers and responsibility is solid
Only 13 episodes means minimal time commitment if your kid is curious about Spider-Man history
Action-focused without being gratuitously violent—appropriate superhero punching
Might appeal to kids interested in animation history or retro gaming aesthetics

⚠

What to Watch For

The CGI is genuinely rough—think early PlayStation 2 cutscenes, which makes it hard to watch
Darker, more serious tone than Spider-Verse or MCU Spider-Man—less humor, more brooding
Show was cancelled after one season, so no real conclusion
Your kid will probably ask to watch literally any other Spider-Man content instead

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think old CGI looks so weird compared to what we see now?"
"What makes a good superhero—is it just powers, or something else?"
"If you could have one superpower, what would it be and how would you use it responsibly?"

Stills

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Spider-Man: The New Animated Series — still 8

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