1000 Ways to Die

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Campy unscripted series is morbid and exploitative.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that while this reality series about unconventional deaths includes some brief scientific explanations of the tragic events, overall the show focuses more on exploiting the victims' final moments than on teaching people how to prevent them. Expect lots of graphic reenactments and real-life images of people's final moments and gruesome injuries. There's also some strong sexual innuendo (including references to masturbation), iffy language, and references to drinking.

  • The series focuses on the unorthodox ways that people have died -- without expressing much sensitivity or compassion. Different cultural approaches to death and various ancient death rituals are discussed briefly.
  • Since the people featured in each story change (and the main ones are already dead), there aren't any consistent negative or positive role models, per se. Experts are interviewed, but they're just there to present scientific information objectively.
  • Endless violent reenactments of people's final moments, including images of airplanes crashing into mountains and people freezing to death, suddenly being electrocuted, etc. Some reenactments include close ups of the dead "bodies" (with their eyes open) and fake bloody wounds. There are also gruesome real-life images of injuries like black frostbitten toes. One home video captures a young woman falling to her death from 12,000 feet while someone screams in the background. References to sexual assault.
  • Some strong sexual innuendo, including references to masturbation and a play on the term "wet dreams." One story refers to a pregnant teenager, while another features the death of a "peeping Tom." On a few occasions, women in skimpy underwear are visible.
  • Language includes words like "hell" and "damn." One story is titled "Butt F***ed."
  • Not applicable.
  • Occasional references to alcohol and drugs if/when they pertain to the strange way a person died.

What's the story?

1000 WAYS TO DIE reenacts and analyzes real people's accidental and sometimes strange deaths. It uses a combination of real-life video, still photos, and interviews with friends of the deceased to flesh out the details of these deaths -- which are caused by everything from a spine being severed by a closing window to someone getting electrocuted by a light post. Forensic experts and other scientists also weigh in on how seemingly harmless acts led to these fatal moments. Finally, the show touches on some of the ways that people have been tortured and/or put to death throughout history.


Is it any good?

 

This morbid, campy series presents each death story in a way that's intended to be both voyeuristic and amusing. Each tale is accompanied by graphic novel-type images and tongue-in-cheek titles (for example, the story of a man who froze in a meat locker is titled "Freeze Died") to add humor, and some of the commentary offers ironic speculations about what people were thinking and/or the lessons they learned while they lay dying. And, of course, it's all accompanied by disturbing images -- both real and reenacted -- of gruesome injuries and people in the moments just before their death.

The show offers limited scientific information about how the body can fatally react to certain things. But its real focus is on exploiting the unorthodox ways that people have died over the years. Although the names of the deceased are changed to protect their privacy, the choice to make their final moments a source of entertainment reflects a disturbing lack of sensitivity. This troubling lack of compassion -- along with the show's endless parade of graphic images -- makes it a poor choice for young kids and very iffy even for teens.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the pros and cons of featuring accidents and/or deaths on a reality show. Is it ever OK to treat these events as a source of entertainment? Does it make a difference if the stories are presented within the context of educating viewers? Families can also talk discuss how death and dying are treated in mainstream American culture. Did you know that some cultures incorporate death as a major part of life? How does this show treat its subjects?


This review was written by Melissa Camacho
Parent
December 17, 2009
 
1000 Ways to Die
Great show. As "crude" as this show is for mocking the dead, it still shows you how many ways there is to die, and how easy it could happen. It doesnt really teach you how to prevent these deaths from happening, but it still gives you a slight heads up.

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Teen, 16 years old
May 12, 2010
 
I absolutely hate this show!! It's offensive, and just plain sick! I find it sad that some people get a laugh of how people die. Personally, this show scares me! I could only get through have of it because I'm extremely scared of that kind of stuff. Though if you don't have those kind of scares, you should be able to handle this show. The show can get graphic: from one person getting bit by a snake, a girl getting smashed by an elevator, to one girl exploding. It's sick. I hate hearing of people die, much less see them die. The show has no respect of those deaths. Don't watch this, don't let your kids watch it! It can give you bad dreams, and just make you plain scared. The little ones won't like it AT ALL. Eeeeek, never watching this show again... Never. Ever.

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Educator and Parent
July 18, 2011
 
evil garbage
horrible!!! very evil and show how to die!? crazy. take it off the aire

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Kid, 13 years old
March 4, 2011
 
You DID read the title, right? Are you sure? I just assumed...
What is the name of this show? Hmmm... A Thousand Ways to Die. Now, there are a lot of ways to die, and that title clearly indicates that they intend to tell you how. Let's pretend you were surfing the channels, and you see that title. Do fluffy bunnies and Teletubbies pop into your mind? No? Good. I was getting worried. Now, that aside, I consider this show very educational. There are several ways to die, and I would rather be safe than sorry. Still, I admit, this is not completly kid-friendly, but there is a reason. It was made for teens and grown-ups. Plain and simple. WAY 1000 TO DIE: Not reading this review! Thanks for reading!

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Parent of 4 year old
December 31, 2010
 
Its Over 1000!!!
Three Words: It Is Violent!.

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Parent of 16 year old
January 1, 2010
 
I love it, its really funny.

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Teen, 14 years old
August 9, 2011
 
Twisted concept, but decent show
I've seen a few of the episodes, and while I think the concept of the show is twisted, it's not that bad. Most episodes don't have that much blood or gore, but some are. Iffy for kids 13+ Violence: Some bloody images Sex: Some women in revealing clothes Language: Some curse words like "ass" and "b***h"

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Kid, 13 years old
May 7, 2011
 
Very gory, but very funny
Funny black humored show, but sometimes they'll take the gore a little to far. You can learn something from this show about anatamy. It's very gory, so not for kids, but its very funny. Yes, they don't give a lot of sensitivity to the dead, but that's normally because of them portraying them bad (so you don't feel bad for them). But when the person was "innocent" then they show some respect.

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Adult
August 8, 2011
 
Review
Though it is not age appropriate for kids under 13 at least, it is educational. It shows you what the body can take and what it can't take. Some of the ways to die is really idiotic, so that would show others who have an idea of doing it not to do it. Like for instance, I just watched an episode of a guy that go killed while ghost riding. Also things that didn't seem dangerous actually is. Like the game Chubby Bunny. After I watched it, I was extra careful the next time I played it. Also, using an unloaded gun can kill you. I'm sure that alot of people didn't know that. All other things we can learn from this show, like rare diseases and disorders and allergic reactions. It's sometimes extremely gory and you cringe almost every episode, but in the end it's educational.

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Adult
April 12, 2011
 
Not for under 12-13 year olds, but I love it :D
I love the show. But come on be honest, it is definetly not age appropriate and it really depends on the maturity of the kid. I think 12-13 would be okay, once again depending on maturity. Im 18 so I dont have a problem but I certainly wouldn't let a kid or if i had kids watch it under the age of around 13. These days most kids no about sex and drugs at a young age, if this just showed those death then yeh it would be easier to let them watch but it doesnt, if shows other deaths and although its somewhat educational, it simply has alot to do with ppl having no common sense or being plain stupid, or the fact that they have the worst luck in the world...I do believe that they should maybe say something for the ppl who died coz well they died and most had a family and were loved and now missed, so yeh as it is slightly comedic throughout the show they should respect the dead aswell. Anyways I still love it, im sure it makes alot of ppl change their ways. E.g for me, i chucked out the rusted shavers as one woman used one, cut herself with it and got a massive infection and died. Defo learnt my lesson from her..!

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This review was written by Melissa Camacho
TV rating:TV-14
Network:Spike
Cast:Christine Mulhern, Irena Murphy
Genre:Reality TV

This review was written by Melissa Camacho
 

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
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BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
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