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Surviving History

(Rated TV-14, Educational, Starring Dave Fachjman, Eric Conrath, Josh Craig, Where to watch: History)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 13.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Scary devices reveal the dark side of history.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 13–15

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    While there's some teaching here, much of the show's focus is on highlighting the painful, gruesome impact that historical devices had on people. The team is male and Caucasian; occasionally a female administrative assistant participates in some of the experiments.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Lots of discussions about and demonstrations of how devices were used to torture, punish, and/or kill people. Lots of fake blood and gore, including gruesome re-creations of the injuries incurred. Some of the design team members are shown using swords and other devices to "kill" mannequins after they're used in experiments.

  • Sex:

    Historical illustrations occasionally show people being tortured in various stages of undress; bare breasts are sometimes seen. These images aren't sexual and are shown in a historical context. One of the devices studied is the chastity belt.

  • Language:

    Words like "ass," "hell," and "brass balls" are audible, while curse words like "f--k" are bleeped out.

  • Consumerism:

    Prominently features The Scare Factory company; many of their scary re-creations are visible throughout the factory floor.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Surviving History

Parents need to know that this series follows a team of artists and craftsmen who re-create and test ancient weapons and torture devices, trying them out on both on mannequins and willing humans. While there's an educational component to the show, much of the focus is on the destruction, pain, and suffering that these devices caused. Although no one gets hurt, the fake-but-gruesome images of blood and gore -- as well as the endless discussions of fear, torture, and death -- make the show pretty iffy for younger viewers. Also, most of the experiments are extremely dangerous and should not be imitated.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the different ways that people can learn about history. Does re-creating things from the past and using them now really help people understand what life was like centuries ago? How does media technology assist in these re-creations? Families can also talk about the dark side of history. Do you think it's important to study how people were tortured or punished in ancient times? Why or why not? How does knowing these things help us think about our culture and society today?
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