<P> The show has received generally positive reviews . The New York Times commented favorably, describing the show as "Family Guy with an espionage subplot and a big dose of magical realism". It considered the pop - culture references ubiquitous "but (placed) with such skill that it seems smart, not cheap ." Whitney Matheson wrote in her USA Today blog "Pop Candy" that the series was an achievement in children's programming . Matheson applauded the writing and called it "an animated version of Parker Lewis Can't Lose ." Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media praised the show's humor and plot, giving it four out of five stars . The Seattle Times wrote that the story of the show was "valiant" and that the main characters of Phineas and Ferb were "young heroes". </P> <P> Variety noted the show's appeal to all ages with its "sense of wit and irreverence ." Similar reviews have emphasized the series' popularity with adults; Elastic Pops Rebecca Wright wrote, in a review for the volume one DVD, "As an adult, I really enjoyed watching this Phineas and Ferb DVD, and I think it is one that the whole family can enjoy ." Wright also called the series' "irreverent style" reminiscent of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle . Wired's Matt Blum has stated in reviews on the series that he "can stand to watch just about anything with (his) kids, but he actually looks forward to watching Phineas and Ferb with them ." Notable adult celebrities who have openly considered themselves fans of the series include Bob Eubanks, Anthony LaPaglia, Ben Stiller, Chaka Khan, Jeff Sullivan and Jake Gyllenhaal . </P> <P> Among the negative reviews is one that charges the series with a lack of originality . Maxie Zeus of Toon Zone argued that the show is "derivative, but obviously so, and shorn of even the best features of what has been stolen ." Zeus took issue with the writing, feeling that certain jokes and conventions were "ripped - off" from other shows . Kevin McDonough of Sun Coast Today criticized the show for its plot complexity, constant action, and "characters (that) can do just about anything ." McDonough stated that "it's never clear whether P&F are intended to entertain children or are merely a reflection of grown - up animators engaged in a juvenile lark ." Marylin Moss of The Hollywood Reporter described Phineas and Ferb as "Pretty mindless but kids of all ages might find a humorous moment in it ." Moss called the plot lines redundant but did praise the music styles and guest stars . </P> <P> Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz gave a positive assessment for Phineas and Ferb in their 2016 book titled TV (The Book), stating that "In television, formula often seems to come from a lack of imagination...Phineas and Ferb though, managed at the same time to be wildly imaginative and slavishly formulaic, using its repetitive structure not as a crutch, but as a sturdy framework on which it could hang all kinds of fantastic new ideas ." They further added that "the characters' awareness of that formula, and any deviations from it, quickly became one of the show's most fertile sources of humor ." </P>

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