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Hole in the Wall

(Rated TV-PG, Game shows, Starring Brooke Burns, Mark Thompson, Where to watch: Fox)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9.

  • Is it any good?

    2.0

  • Common Sense says

    Quirky game show is full of embarrassing moments.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Contestants often appear silly and clumsy as they jump through walls for cash prizes. Some of the host's comments about contestants border on being insulting. Some participants' weight is a source of subtle ridicule. On the plus side, teams must work together to succeed, and participants are both male and female and from various racial/ethnic backgrounds.

  • Violence:

    Contestants get knocked, roughly, into a pool of water by a moving barrier. Occasionally they smash into the foam wall and break it. They wear safety gear.

  • Sex:

    The hosts' comments occasionally include some mild sexual innuendo that will go over young viewers' head. The team uniforms are tight-fitting bodysuits.

  • Language:

    Words like "crap" and "hell" are sometimes heard.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    One team, "The Beer Bellies," is proud of members' alcohol consumption. Occasional references to getting drunk or "smashed."
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Hole in the Wall

Parents need to know that, as in the original Japanese series it's based on, this game show's entertainment "value" comes from watching contestants awkwardly contort their bodies to try to fit through holes cut out of a moving barrier -- only to get swept into a pool of water when they fail. Some of the humor is derived from watching people who are too large to fit the sometimes-narrow openings. Expect some very mild sexual innuendo and language like "crap" and "hell." Some episodes contain references to drinking. Although the stunts seem pretty harmless, remind kids that trying them may lead to serious injury.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about what drives people to participate in game shows -- particularly those that make them look silly and/or clumsy. Is it just for the money, or is it for the chance to be on television? Do you think these kinds of shows ever go too far? Families can also discuss why Japanese game shows are so popular lately. What makes them different from American game shows? Are the U.S. versions of these shows different from the originals? How? Are any American game shows exported to Japan?
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