Just launched: free lifetime premium for the first 1,000 members to activate their account.

Log in Start free

Two Can Play That Game

Good

Recommended age Unlock

Co-watching from age 3

Stimulating

Exact score locked

Watch on

HBO

Save

Two Can Play That Game

See the exact scores

The review is yours to read. Create a free account to reveal the exact SlowScreen score and every pillar score.

Create free account

This program is stimulating. It actively demands attention and can feel intense. For the recommended age, this may be on the more intense side. The pacing is fast. Images follow each other quickly, leaving little time to pause and take in what is happening. The sound is clearly present and regularly draws attention. The visuals are calm and well-organized.

The story is easy to follow. One clear thread runs through the whole episode: two monster children clash over a game, and the rest of the episode builds toward a happy resolution. Events arrive in a logical order with a recognizable beginning, middle, and end, and each action leads to a sensible consequence a child can predict. The imaginative play introduces several ideas close together in the busier play scenes, but the central line never gets lost.

This show handles feelings with care. The emotions stay gentle and are always supported. When Roy becomes overwhelmed and cries, he is comforted right away, and the disagreement between the children is met with patience rather than blame. Big moments are followed by reassurance and resolution within the same part of the story, so a child is not left sitting with worry. Esme and Roy treat each other and the children kindly and consistently throughout.

There is a clear thinking-and-trying process at the heart of the episode. The conflict grows out of the children's own play rather than being forced on them, and Esme and Roy guide them through naming the problem, trying an idea, and seeing it work once they join forces as a single pirate crew. The steps are visible enough for a young child to follow how a problem turns into a solution. Cause and effect are easy to spot: when the children stop competing and cooperate, the play becomes fun for everyone.

The language fits a three-year-old well. Sentences are short and clear, the words are concrete, and the speech is easy to understand. Playful pretend vocabulary tied to the pirate theme, like calling each other captain, sits comfortably alongside everyday talk about sharing and getting along. Most of what is said carries real meaning, describing the problem or moving the play forward, rather than being empty filler.

The real-world value is mixed. The social situations are very recognizable: friends squabbling over a game, learning to take turns, and comforting someone who is upset are all things a young child meets in daily life, and the dress-up and pretend play are easy to copy at home. What holds this pillar back is the fantasy frame, since almost every character is a monster living in a make-believe town, which sits further from a small child's real world than a fully realistic setting would. The behaviors transfer well even though the cast itself does not.

More information

The show centres on Esme, a brown-skinned girl, and Roy, a big yellow monster, who look after younger monsters together. Esme leads as a confident problem-solver while Roy takes the warm, comforting caregiver role, so initiative and nurturing are not split along gender lines. Around them is a cast of monsters in many shapes, sizes and colours who play as equals, which quietly models the idea that being different is ordinary. Human variety rests mainly on Esme, and everyday families and real-world settings stay largely out of view.

Esme and Roy live in a world built around everyday childhood moments: two young monsters disagree over how to play together, and the story follows how they work it out. The settings and feelings are easy for a small child to recognize, even though the characters are friendly monsters and part of the play turns into a pretend pirate adventure. There is no villain anywhere in the story; the tension comes entirely from a normal squabble over a game and is resolved through cooperation. The light imagination sits comfortably on top of a grounded, relatable core, which suits a young preschooler.

This is a polished, warm production that sits easily in the room for a parent watching along. The smooth animation, gentle voices, and soft orange-and-yellow palette are kind to adult ears and eyes, and the pirate adventure gives the episode a real story to follow rather than a looped activity. The main caveat is that the humor and tone stay pitched at the child audience, with little wordplay or layered comedy for a co-viewing adult. Parents will find it well made and pleasant company, if not especially engaging on its own terms.

Themes

Imagination

The group acts out a pirate voyage with costumes and painted ocean waves.

Learning to work together

Two children who were competing end up playing as one pirate crew together.

Taking turns

Two monster children fall into a competitive disagreement over a game and are helped to name the problem and try a new idea, learning to share the game fairly.

Friendship

Esme and Roy work together as a caring pair and help two monster children get along.

Big feelings

Roy shows big feelings and cries before being comforted and calming down.

Problem solving

Esme and Roy help the children work a disagreement into a shared game.

Winning & losing

The children's competitive disagreement over a game is resolved by playing together rather than competing to win.

Activities

Pretend play

The characters stage a pirate adventure on a pretend ship with painted waves.

Dress up

Roy, Esme, and the monster children wear pirate hats, a tutu, and a feather boa.

Babysitting

Esme and Roy look after the monster children throughout the episode.

Riding scooter

Esme rides a scooter outdoors alongside Roy near the houses.

Emotions

Joy

Esme laughs and waves while playing pirates with the whole group.

Excitement

The monster children leap and swing energetically during play.

Sadness

Roy cries with clear tears while dressed as a pirate.

Empathy

Roy hugs and reassures Esme when feelings run high.

Behaviour

Taking turns

The two monster children stop competing and join the others as a single pirate crew.

Dressing up

Characters put on pirate hats, a sash, a feather boa, and a tutu for pretend play.

Helping

Esme and Roy guide the children calmly through their disagreement.

Comforting

Roy wraps Esme in a warm hug during an emotional moment.

Expressing feelings

Roy sheds visible tears in his pirate costume when he feels overwhelmed.

Social lessons

Cooperation

Two children who were competing become teammates on the same pirate crew.

Conflict resolution

A disagreement over a game is worked out and ends in shared play.

Empathy

Characters comfort one another when someone is upset.

Taking turns

The children move from each wanting their own way to playing together.

Mild conflict

The two monster children clash over a game before learning to play together, with no aggression and a clear resolution.

Esme, a young girl, and Roy, her large monster friend, are monstersitters looking after a group of monster children. When two of the children fall into a competitive disagreement over a game, Esme and Roy help them name the problem and try a new idea. The conflict turns into a shared pretend pirate adventure, with everyone dressing up and playing on the same crew. The episode ends with all the characters playing happily together.

Season 1

6 episodes

Esme & Roy

Esme & Roy

Monster Trucks

recommended age co-watching from 3

Esme, a girl, and Roy, a yellow monster, are monster sitters spending the day looking after Tilly, a small pink monster who loves her cars. After a backyard race leaves Tilly muddy and smelly, the two need to get her into a bath, but she only wants to keep playing. When Tilly melts down, Roy helps her calm down with a glitter jar and slow breathing, and then the sitters turn the tub into a pretend car wash. Tilly happily drives through it, gets clean, and asks to go again.

Esme & Roy

Esme & Roy

Lunch Crunch

recommended age co-watching from 3

Esme, a girl, and Roy, a large yellow monster, babysit a young monster named Simon while his grownups are away. When Simon's favourite fish and stinky cheese sandwich is eaten and the ingredients run out, the pair try a pretend restaurant, a spoon game and finally food sculptures to coax him into tasting something new. Along the way Simon has an upset moment that is calmed with a breathing exercise. By the end Simon happily tries carrots and other foods and proudly calls himself a food artist.

Esme & Roy

Esme & Roy

Dark and Stormy Knight

recommended age co-watching from 3

Esme and Roy are monster-sitters who look after young monsters. In this episode they help a worried young monster through a dark and stormy 'knight' adventure, using make-believe castle and knight play to turn a scary pretend storm into a brave challenge. With patient encouragement, the monster moves from worry toward confidence and the group plays on together. The story takes place in a soft, colorful monster world and ends with the fear settled.

Esme & Roy

Esme & Roy

Two Can Play That Game

recommended age co-watching from 3

Esme, a young girl, and Roy, her large monster friend, are monstersitters looking after a group of monster children. When two of the children fall into a competitive disagreement over a game, Esme and Roy help them name the problem and try a new idea. The conflict turns into a shared pretend pirate adventure, with everyone dressing up and playing on the same crew. The episode ends with all the characters playing happily together.

Esme & Roy

Esme & Roy

Noisy Naptime

recommended age co-watching from 3

Esme, a young girl, and her monster best friend Roy work as monstersitters. In this episode they look after a small monster that cannot settle for naptime, and they try a series of quiet activities, including a puppet show, to help it rest. After several attempts the little monster finally falls asleep, and the characters celebrate together. The story takes place mostly inside a home in their monster neighbourhood.

Esme & Roy

Esme & Roy

The Hugo Express

recommended age co-watching from 3

Esme, a young girl, and her monster friend Roy look after Hugo, a small monster who loves trains. Together they turn the playroom into a pretend train called 'The Hugo Express', building tracks and taking turns as conductor. When the play hits a snag and Hugo's feelings run high, Esme and Roy help him work through it step by step. The train game gets back on track and the friends finish happily.

Related media

Other series that fit this age group

Jessica's Big Little World

Jessica's Big Little World

recommended age co-watching from 2

Jessica's Big Little World follows a young girl eager to do things herself, with her family and toys at home and around town. Warm and playful for preschoolers, with gentle lessons in independence and perseverance.

Phoebe & Jay

Phoebe & Jay

recommended age co-watching from 2

Siblings Phoebe and Jay solve everyday problems with their dad and grandmother in a busy apartment building. The tone is warm and encouraging, aimed at preschoolers, teaching perseverance through small everyday challenges.

Lucas the Spider

Lucas the Spider

recommended age co-watching from 2

Lucas the Spider follows a friendly jumping spider and his animal friends through playful adventures in a cozy family home. Warm and gentle, made for young preschoolers, with lessons on friendship and handling big feelings.

Peppa Pig

Peppa Pig

recommended age co-watching from 2

Peppa Pig follows a young pig and her family through small adventures at home and outdoors. The tone is light and playful, made for preschoolers, with gentle lessons about family and friendship.

Explore more

From this series Esme & Roy

By age 3 years

By platform HBO

By theme Big feelings Friendship Imagination Learning to work together Problem solving

Just launched: free lifetime premium for the first 1,000 members to activate their account.

Create your account

We use functional cookies and Google Analytics to improve our site. Learn more