Martha Speaks (2008–2016) User Reviews

Verdict is mutty and educational

[ThunderKing6 · 6/10 · 16 January 2021]

Martha is an educational show for the tots. The show touches on language, and social skills subjects.

Its a very open world show with an interesting animation choice.

My only flaw is I have a hatred towards 4 legged mutts. The mutts ruin the show because they aren't likeable. All the other supporting casts are but the mutts are simply worthless.

Overall its a good show to sit and chill to.

Verdict mutty of a show. mutt lovers will love this show.

Martha is a dog lovers dream

[jcook56050 · 9/10 · 12 February 2009]

What would my dog say if it could talk? That was the question the daughter of children's author, Susan Meddaugh asked one day while eating alphabet soup. Susan took that one premise and her real dog, Martha, and constructed a very creative series of books which have now been transformed into a PBS animated series. Martha is the dog of Helen Lorraine, a ten year old little girl. One day, Martha accidentally eats some of "Martha's Alphabet Soup," and discovers that the letters go to her head instead of her stomach. Thus, she begins to talk, and talk, and talk. Produced by WGBH Boston and Studio B Productions, Inc., the show creatively introduces words to a young audience straight from a dog's point of view. Martha manages to wriggle herself into all kinds of situations while learning what words and phrases really mean by human standards. And, consequently, her human caregivers learn some new tricks from this very intelligent mutt. The fact that she can translate what other animals say comes in very handy at times, as she attempts to live in a world that real dogs rarely understand. To say that her antics are sometimes hilarious is somewhat of an understatement. Here is a family, two dogs, a group of friends, and a sly sense of humor located in a comfortable neighborhood that could be located just down the street. Martha creates a casual, entertaining learning mood that is easily revisited. This show is geared not only for children, but, as with the most successful cartoons, it works on many different levels for adults as well. As a new fan of this wonderful series, I can highly recommend that parents "sit" and watch this show with their kids, "speak" about what they have just seen, "roll over" with laughter, and go eat some "alphabet soup" for lunch. I promise you won't hit the "paws" button.

Martha Speaks is the Fran drescher of PBS

[TheCartoonfaxuator · 5/10 · 31 December 2012]

Just a quick fact about Me before you read my review. I'm 15 yrs. old and i watched this show 4 years ago, and i'm still watching to prove my points, plus i wanted to tell you this so you don't think i'm an adult. Martha Speakes is a show for kids of the age of 8 to 11 yrs. old. This show is very age appropriate. No adult, teenager ,or grown up kid will like how this show explains words. Especially when it said from a certain dogs voice. Martha's voice makes her the Fran Drescher of PBS. Her voice is so annoying it turns off anyone who is above the age of 11. Not all of the characters act like their age. The frame rate of the show is decent, because the charters basically painted paper puppets. And can some explain to me how a dog who ate alphabet soup and got the power to speak, can call the police with her dog paws, and get a ton of petitions signatures to ban 4th of July fireworks. Even though this is a cartoon, it can try to make some sense. I give Martha Speakes a 5.9/10. This review was made in 2012.

Great show!

[blayneleonard · 10/10 · 17 August 2010]

My kid LOOOOOOVES Martha Speaks! We stumbled on this by accident while channel surfing. After I saw how interested he was in it, I went to the library to borrow a couple of DVDs. I knew then that he loved them enough for me to buy them. He now has 2 of Martha's DVDs and can't get enough of her. I love them because they do manage to write great and very funny stories that appeal to both kids and adults. I can truly call this a family show.

The thing that appeals to me about "Martha Speaks" is even though Martha is very intelligent and can articulate like a human, she's still a dog who still thinks like a dog (i.e., she still likes to drink out of the toilet bowl, dig holes and eat out of the garbage), which creates some very interesting situations! It also exposes my son to very big words and their meaning - and it does seem to have helped expand his vocabulary.

I think that this would make an excellent live-action movie if anyone decided to make that move (hint, hint) and I would be the first one to see it! I would HIGHLY recommend these DVDs and the books!

One character needs to be removed.

[mia-31718 · 4/10 · 31 July 2021]

Martha speaks has a lot of friend or funny characters. But Mrs. Demson IS THE WORST! She hates other people, and kids, she makes other peoples' lives a living hell! (she deserves to sue the defendant for crashing his car into her yard, but still!) Martha speaks would better off without!

Marvelous animated dog show on earth!!!

[criticj · 10/10 · 12 July 2021]

Martha Speaks says it all about the adventures of Martha, a mixed breed dog who gains the ability to talk after she starts eating alphabet soup with letters that go up to her brain instead of her stomach!!! Audiences of all ages will be delighted by this television tale that gives you the wonders of what their pets are thinking!!!

Edit: Changed my mind. Never will be as famous as Danny Phantom and The Fairly OddParents because it doesn't deserve it

[joeypelobello · 1/10 · 7 October 2018]

Yes, I've changed my mind.

I used to like Martha Speaks when I first found out about it. I tried (in vain) to create Wikipedia pages on the characters, wasn't successful. Then I found out about Butch Hartman and his shows. Both Danny Phantom and The Fairly OddParents are much more famous than Martha Speaks, and at first I got annoyed at Martha Speaks being so "unnotable" and "underrated"; I've gotten into lots of trouble on Wikipedia over Martha Speaks's notability because they let The Fairly OddParents and Danny Phantom have mentions in some of their list pages, but they won't let Martha Speaks have mentions!

But of course, my mind has changed. I wouldn't recommend this show anymore. I'm now a hater.

Yes, I get it, it's supposed to promote English studies and things like vocabulary and Shakespeare, and stuff like that. And that's good. Shakespeare is good for kids. But Martha Speaks is poor-quality and waters down the vocabulary definitions. SparkNotes already did Shakespeare videos (intended primarily for students but good for kids too) and there's a real Danny Phantom book based on Macbeth and the infamous curse myth. But Martha Speaks is a real shocker when it comes to astronomical definitions. The definition of weight (how much a force like gravity exerts on matter) is lied-to, and the astronomical definitions are the worst. Believe me, I like astronomy and have studied it ever since the age of 5 (I'm being honest). They called Canis Major in an episode "Martha Supremo" (though it was corrected in a later one). Seriously now?

And of course, I agree with other aspects other people mentioned here and on Common Sense Media the flash animation makes it terrible, the plot holes are overused, etc. Helen's dad was my favorite character when I used to like and watch this show. But of course, I don't like him anymore.

Speaking of Butch Hartman's shows, Helen's dad is named after Danny Fenton (look it up), and in the Martha Speaks episode "Dogs in Space" they ripped off Crash Nebula from The Fairly OddParents! Shame on you, PBS Kids and WGBH Boston! Are you trying to water down Butch Hartman's shows? If you deny it, then too bad! I've leaked it out here!

So I am now to conclude why I no longer like this show. I wouldn't recommend it, even to English studies teachers. It's just a watered-down mix of dog literature ("dognuttery"), Butch Hartman, and Shakespeare.

And yes, I know I've mentioned him way too many times in this review, but Butch Hartman (and Seth MacFarlane of Family Guy, American Dad, etc.) made their own version of Martha Speaks. It's called "Zoomates", look it up.

Great show

[talazcoil · 9/10 · 1 May 2022]

Martha speaks is a great show that everyone would love.

Why I didn't gave ten stars? Well, not everything is perfect... But really guys, if you looking for a show which your kids will enjoy to watch, I think this is a great one to start with.

The greatest talking dog series ever!!

[stephenchase-63504 · 10/10 · 19 February 2021]

The greatest episode is when Martha gets her powers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cool throwback

[gwghani · 10/10 · 13 January 2023]

I have wanted this to be aired on cbeebies its aired on cbbc for sometimes but now i have wanted this to cbeebies everyday at 615am on cbeebies arthur aired its final episode on cbbc on this date 21st febuary 2022 but right now i having this to cbeebies forever every morning forever on cbeebies and bbc one and bbc two every saturday at 715am affter cbbc start time every channel i selected this to air on cbeebies for the first time every day before you wake up and shake up with get set go on cbeebies its funny to cbeebies big news impotant news for this on cbeebies before citv takeover forever everyday.