4th and Long

Review

Common Sense Media says

Players' competition for NFL is too rough for young kids.
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

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this reality show about aspiring professional football players doesn't pull any punches. The competitors insult, threaten, and otherwise indimidate each other, and there's plenty of action on and off the field. Strong language, while often bleeped, is frequent and "creative," and players allude to substance use in the past. Bottom line? The grueling, brutal truth about football is displayed here in all its glory.

  • Positive messages0
    The show doesn't pull any punches when it comes to showing the "true" nature of football. Viewers will walk away with an unvarnished look at the gridiron, from the dangers of pushing players too hard to the nature of fierce competition on the field.
  • Positive role models0
    The competitors do their best to intimidate their opponents with
    insults, rudeness, and threats (though it's probably not anything that
    any seasoned athletes in the family would flinch at).
  • Violence2
    Plenty of confrontations between players, as well as on-the-field action, from players crashing into each other to painful injuries. Some players push themselves so hard physically that they throw up.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language3
    The strongest words are bleeped, but this is professional football, and coaches use whatever language they can to inspire their players, including calling them names like "slapdick."
  • Consumerism3
    Corporate sponsorship abounds, with logos plastered in every available space.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking1
    While there's no room for that kind of thing during football camp, some players allude to having had problems in the past.
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What's the story?

In 4TH AND LONG, 12 former football players -- all of whom were "on the path to the NFL" but got sidetracked for different reasons -- get the chance to compete for one spot on the Dallas Cowboys team. Guided by ex-Cowboy/Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, they're put through an extraordinary set of paces by coaches Bill Bates and Joe Avezzano. Each week the player who shows the least amount of promise is cut from the team.

Is it any good?

 

In borrowing the formula of more family- and female-oriented reality shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Top Chef and applying it to professional football, any network would naturally try to ramp up the testosterone levels until they're off the chart. Spike, of course, does its levelheaded best to obliterate the chart.

Players are pushed until they literally throw up on the field (repeatedly and in full frame), bone crunching tackles and gruesome injuries are displayed in stomach-churning slow motion, and every jump cut is accompanied by pounding drums and screaming guitars. Still, anyone who ever lived through the visceral experience of high school or college football will immediately connect with the incredible difficulty that these players face in trying not just to emerge victorious, but to simply survive.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about whether the show glorifies professional football or makes it seem glamorous in any way. Did watching change your impression of the NFL or its players?

  • What does it mean to give every ounce of energy
    to reaching a goal? How far would you push yourself to achieve your
    dreams?

This review was written by Scout Davidson

There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
This review was written by Scout Davidson
TV rating:TV-14
Network:Spike
Cast:Michael Irvin
Genre:Reality TV
This review was written by Scout Davidson
 

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About our rating system
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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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