 | 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. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
30 Days
- FX, Planet Green
- Genre: Reality TV
Common Sense Media says
Opening minds, one month at a time. Teens and up.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this thought-provoking reality series was created by Morgan Spurlock, the director of Super Size Me, and follows in the documentary's footsteps by dissecting issues that face Americans every day. The show tackles some very controversial topics, including illegal immigration, job outsourcing, abortion, poverty, religion, and sexuality. As a result, most episodes feature plenty of confrontational exchanges as participants are forced to re-examine their personal beliefs and behaviors; some of the spirited "discussion" may make sensitive kids uncomfortable. But teens could learn a lot by watching -- particularly the importance of taking a close, objective look at your own values and world view.
What's the story?
Documentarian Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) tackles societal issues like poverty, alcoholism, sexuality, religion, illegal immigration, job outsourcing, crime, over-consumption, and abortion for his reality series 30 DAYS. In each episode, Spurlock follows a mostly average American who agrees to take part in a social experiment: Live outside your comfort zone for a month and see what happens. Hence, a conservative straight man from the Midwest moves in with a gay man in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood, an atheist bunks with a Christian, a pro-choice believer lives at a pro-life maternity home, two materialistic Manhattanites roll up their sleeves at a sustainable eco-village, and so on. Spurlock even signs himself up for duty, living on minimum wage and behind bars for a month at a time.
Is it any good?
Unlike many reality shows, which place people in uncomfortable situations just to incite petty drama and bickering, 30 Days' lifestyle upheaval has a purpose: By putting real-life human faces on controversial topics, the show aims to open participants' minds to all sides of an issue, hopefully bringing them closer to an understanding of how "the other side" lives. Obviously, by its very nature, the show encourages controversy and debate, and many episodes feature shouting matches and angry confrontations. That, combined with the edginess and complexity of the issues themselves, makes the show a better fit for teens -- who will find it eye-opening, no matter what side of a given topic they sympathize with -- than for younger viewers.
The series definitely leans to the left, and not all episodes are as worthwhile as the others -- for example, the ones that dealt with binge drinking and extreme anti-aging procedures came off as fluffy and, especially in the latter case, vain -- but overall 30 Days is mature, thought-provoking television.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the issues covered in each episode (there's certainly no lack of discussion fodder in this series, given the topics it takes on). How did the participants' beliefs change over the course of the episode? Was either side completely right or wrong?
What did the participants learn from each other? What did you learn by watching them interact?
Can teens think of a situation that would take them as completely outside of their own comfort zone as the people on the show? How do they think they'd react?
Do you think shows like this can change society on a broad scale, or just one individual at a time? Is 30 days enough time to really make a difference in someone's core beliefs?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Kid, 12 years old
May 17, 2010
AGE
sometimes you say sh*t on TV-14 on some shows.
TV-MA can say sh*t, some TV-14 showing can say sh*t (unbleeped) but not all, and not TV-PG. all the time
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
sometimes you say sh*t on TV-14 on some shows.
TV-MA can say sh*t, some TV-14 showing can say sh*t (unbleeped) but not all, and not TV-PG. all the time
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 11 years old
May 17, 2010
AGE
sometimes you say sh*t on TV-14 on some shows.
TV-MA can say sh*t, some TV-14 showing can say sh*t (unbleeped) but not all, and not TV-PG. all the time
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
okay ................... do anyone know what a TV-MA rating means? It is not for kids under 17!
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Show Definatly not for Cable..Needed to be on HBO
I am mortified at how it is so easy for the film industry to take the F word out of there filming so that it doesn't offend anyone. When the real culprit is that they so freely give blessing to GD as if it is okay to say the Lords name in vain. Some networks have even bleeped D**n but left God so you know just exactly what they said.. what is that?? My family, all 3 of our households, have made a pact, as soon as the GD word is spoken on a tv show, we turn it or delete it. Even at movies, we walk out.. My other complaint with this show is that on the first show I saw, the writer was trying to live on minimum wage. The problem was, however, he didn't. He got a job making 7 bucks an hour and who knows what his girlfriend was making and then he went on to get a higher paying job, and then was working two.. that is a disgrace to those of us who "are" budgeting $1200 dollars a month and having to make it work..I agree with his concept.. Things need to change.. but buddy..stop whining. You had all kinds of free stuff given to you and free meals.. I can't remember the last time I had a free piece of furniture or someone standing their to hand out food with a smile on their face..
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Great show
An enjoyable way to explore handling Difference. We watch as a family (13 yo and 8 yo) and we ALL like it. Lots of next-day discussion ensues.
Was this review useful?
|
|
| TV rating: | TV-MA |
| Networks: | FX, Planet Green |
| Cast: | Morgan Spurlock |
| Genre: | Reality TV |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
