I've been watching my home country's cartoons since I was two years old. I grew up on classics like 6Teen and Total Drama. Needless to say, I was stoked when this show was announced on Teletoon.
Despite some of the weird reviews I've seen here, everyone I've ever met has loved Stoked. All my friends have watched it, and some still watch it today. And it's easy to see why: Stoked has a fun personality and is very lovable despite it's flaws, some of which are also prevalent in Total Drama Action. The pros? I love the characters. Each one is bursting with emotion, and the voice actors help carry these emotions phenomenally. The downside to this, however, is that I felt the characters got slightly out-of-touch with their personalities nearing the end of Season 2. They felt different, and not in a good way. However, the first Season is still amazing, and with 26 episodes, it can keep you entertained for a long time.
I've seen some people complain about the over-use of the word "dude", claiming this is surfer stereotyping... well, it isn't. In Canada, dude is a VERY popular word, especially in 2009-2012. And if you've lived near the warmer areas of Canada, you'll know that this kind of lingo is prevalent. And even if you aren't used to this kind of wording, don't worry; the show never makes it sound forced and the voice actors still speak perfectly natural dialogue. Also, the VA for Fin also played Izzy in Total Drama, so you've already got a major talent with her!
Another complaint I've seen on IMDb is about the music... which I honestly don't get. The music in Stoked is fine. It's got some really good songs, actually, and it never feels like it plays too long anyways. So even if you don't like the music (for whatever sick reason you don't enjoy music) then don't fret, because it isn't on-screen for a long time.
The show has some great laughs, very similar to Total Drama Island's humor while having the teenager tone of 6Teen. Personally, I love Stoked way more than 6Teen, mostly due to the smoother animation. The animation for Stoked, while 2D, bursts alive on the screen with constant movement, various camera angles, and beautiful water animation. The characters feel alive, much like the animation in Disney's Tangled TV Series.
I give Stoked a 9/10, with one point deducted due to the drop in character quality seen in Season 2. But other than that, Season 1 is on point, and I recommend that any lovers of 6Teen or TDI should definitely check this out.
