Hole in the Wall - TV-PG

Quirky game show is full of embarrassing moments.

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TV Rating: TV-PG
Network: Fox
Cast: Brooke Burns, Mark Thompson
Genre: Game Shows

Parents need to know

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.

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?

Message
Violence
Sex
Language

Message

Social Behavior:

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.

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

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

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.

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Melissa Camacho

Based on a Japanese game show, HOLE IN THE WALL has a simple premise: Two teams of three people dressed in spandex and helmets try to contort their bodies to fit through shapes cut out in a large wall that's moving toward them. Teams gain or lose points based on their ability to clear the moving barrier; those who fail to clear a hole also get swept into a pool of water. The team that accumulates the most points after three rounds wins some cash and a chance to win an extra $100,000 by guiding a blindfolded teammate through the final hole.

Is it any good?

This stunt-based game show almost looks like a live-action version of the video game Tetris as the players attempt to fit into openings of various shapes and sizes. But unlike the electronic version, this game is more about watching people awkwardly shift their bodies and roughly get shoved into water by the moving barrier. Also unfortunately played for laughs are rounds in which larger-sized people get stuck in holes that have clearly been designed for thinner competitors. Sideline interviews with co-host Brooke Burns give teams a chance to look and sound even goofier. Meanwhile, occasional jibes from host Mark Thompson generate (relatively mild) laughs at the contestants' expense.

True, the show does showcase some good sportsmanship as teams attempt to work together to win. But that positive note is muted by the show's seemingly endless parade of humiliating moments. There's also some occasional sexual innuendo, a bit of iffy language, and some references to drinking. Overall, while folks who like this sort of thing may find it hard to keep from chuckling, it probably isn't the most constructive viewing choice for kids.