Saccharin derives its name from the word "saccharine", meaning "sugary". Her joyous illustrations remain sweet and nostalgic, without ever becoming overly saccharine. It is mildly sweet, and it counters the aftertaste of saccharine. An exercise in strained whimsy and saccharine sentiment. Phares later praised Tisdale's voice by saying her "chirpy, slightly saccharine voice is perfect". In "Slate", Willa Paskin referred to the series as "a hackneyed and saccharine family sitcom". The Omicronians are highly offended by the chalky candies and their saccharine messages. It is composed of bright, saccharine songs interspersed with buzzing, glitchy breakdowns. Us manages the tricky task of telling emotional stories without getting too saccharine. Similarly, "Chocolate" is "packed with saccharine innuendo". The emphasis was on avoiding sugar, saccharine matter, starch, beer, milk and butter. However, she remained a somewhat saccharine central heroine. "The Guardian" described emo pop as a cross between "saccharine boy-band pop" and emo. Michael Hogan of "The Telegraph" described Derek as a "saccharine series" and "dreadful". Really, more human and less saccharine than most of the mother/children relationships on soaps.