Survivor
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Plotting and scheming in paradise for $1,000,000.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 12–13
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Survivor was written by Betsy Wallace
Parents need to know that this show's early success is largely responsible for the explosion of reality programs on TV. While it airs in early primetime, it's not always family viewing: Survivors sometimes swear and like to "get back to nature" -- but you might too, if your clothes got as dirty as theirs. Producers will sometimes divide teams along controversial lines (race, age groups, etc.) to shake things up, and virtually every activity the Survivors take part in is backed by a corporate sponsorship. Bonds of friendship are made to be broken as the players struggle to outwit each other in order to win. No one is above back-stabbing a friend when $1,000,000 is on the line.
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about what it means to be a true survivor and how "real" the show is. Do you think the contestants are ever really in danger of starving or getting seriously hurt? Are the players really the way they seem on TV, or does editing shape how they come across to viewers? Do you have to cheat and lie in order to win this game? Is it ever OK to lie, and if so, when? The show could also inspire families to try a camping trip and divide up chores such as gathering wood, catching fish, and cooking over a fire.
More on Survivor
What’s the Story?
Is It Any Good?
It's not a stretch to call Survivor innovative and educational. The game requires contestants to learn and employ wilderness skills and work together, and each season takes place in a different part of the world, with the history and culture of the region incorporated into the show. Challenges test not only Survivors' physical strength, but also their knowledge of local traditions and their ability to solve puzzles and problems. Terrific wildlife footage gives viewers a close-up look at exotic insects, snakes, spiders, sharks, tigers, alligators, etc., depending on the location.
As it has progressed, the series has wisely spent less time focusing on the Survivors' day-to-day ailments and more time emphasizing their social interaction and competitive ability -- which always makes for more compelling reality TV. Fans of the series will find plenty to enjoy in each installment, although some parents won't appreciate the fact that lying and backstabbing are so prevalent.
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
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Kids ages: 12, 13, 13, 14, 14, 14
I rate this title on for age 12 and give it -
I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive consumerism
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Great!
A very interesting show, and while a lot of contestants do send bad messages by backstabbing, lying and manipulating, there are also a fair share of those who get through the game and eventually win based on integrity and honesty.
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
there is always blindsiding and calling people such as dumba-- and bi--- and more
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
great show
i love that show. i started watching it when i was about 9. i think it is appropriate for any age but i don't think smaller kids will enjoy it as much
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Kids ages: 12, 12, 12, 13
I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
For tweens and above.
This show has raised some good parental discussions. Not ready for my 11 year olds to watch.
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Negative role models
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Please I Beg Of You! Watch This Show!
I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH! It is not innapropriat wahat so ever no matter what anyone says. It is such a good show, and my #1 Favorite show everr since I was three. I lover it!! Please watch it, but WARNOING: Once you begin to watch it I promise that you will love it so much, you will never stop.
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
perfect for most ages
It's a great show. Okay for most ages.
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
It's a great show
It's an interesting show. It has contestants you can really connect to. It's different and it's great for betting pools. Every episode a tribe goes to tribal council where they vote out one of their own. I love it and now they're airing the 18th season so i bet there'll be more to come. Watch the show at 8pm every Thursday. Watch next week their starting a new season. P.S. There are 2 every year. This one is Survivor: Tocantins.
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
Survivor is our favorite show
We watch Survivor avidly every season. It's our favorite show to view together. We not only enjoy the contests and watching how the people cope, but also we talk about survival skills and what it would actually take to make it in a wilderness like that. We also discuss how the people who have studied up and prepared in advance, for example, learning how to make fire and some basic wilderness survival, do much better than those who did not prepare. We also try to learn a little bit about the country that the show features. My kids are 10 and 12 now and we all love it.
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I rate this title iffy and give it
Preety good show!
Well there is some cussing but its censored (it isn't censored in the DVD boxsets)and some blered out nudity (awlays)but besides that no problems 6+
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I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it
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I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give it
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I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it
Good Lessons Here *IF* Parents Also Watch and Discuss
Survivor is one of the very few non-PBS programs our family watches. Before I ever saw it, I would ridicule and make fun of those who did watch it. Now we are hooked. My son is 12. I think kids starting around 11-12 can watch this program, but that's ONLY if parents are watching with them and discussing a lot of what goes on. Even teens should have parents watching and discussing with them. The show provides many opportunities to talk about values, ethics and morals -- is it ever OK to lie? If so, when? What personality qualities make a person likable? What behaviors show us that someone is a jerk, or immature, or very self-centered, and that we wouldn't want to be that person's friend if they lived in our town? Survivor also gives a family a rare chance to observe and discuss group dynamics -- how people function together when they don't know each other well, and when no one is appointed the leader. Why do the best leaders -- the most likable and competent people -- never win the million dollars? How do the people who last the longest manage to do it? (Answer: they either lie and manipulate people, or they never initiate anything -- they stay quiet, work hard and go along with others rather than leading anything on their own.) What can we tell about a person's basic, true personality by the way they function in the group, especially during the first few days? Sometimes people swear and that's bleeped out. Sometimes a swimsuit will fall down or a person might otherwise be exposed -- this is digitized over with a "blurring" effect. Occasionally they get some wine -- that provides an opportunity to discuss what happens to you when you drink -- you lose judgement and say things you otherwise would never want to say. One episode had a situation where a woman wrongly accused a man of improper sexual advances. The entire camp witnessed the high drama and confrontations that spanned more than one week of the show. At first I was dismayed, but then used it as a great opportunity to talk about the potential for real misunderstanding between a man and a woman, and how honest communication is much better than accusations and hysteria. It's also important to discuss Survivor as a media production. It is NOT a reality show -- in reality, 16 people plus cameramen would not be plunked down in the middle of nowhere. There are frequent opportunities to discuss how the producers make us (the viewers) think something is going to happen because of what video they show, but then by the end (or next week) you are surprised by what happens, and then you know that the editors and producers simply chose not to show the conversations and situations that would have clued you in. This provides lessons about "what is TV, really?" and "why do they do it that way?". You'll see great cinematography in the outdoor setttings -- landscapes, ocean and animal shots. The Reward and Immunity "challenges" are imaginative and clever. In the end, it's only TV and we could live without this show, but it's easy to see why Survivor has survived so much longer than any of the other so-called reality shows.
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I rate this title iffy and give it
Too Much Reality TV
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I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
Parents should watch too
I'd be okay with letting teenagers watch this, but only if an adult were present to discuss the issues. (For example, in a recent show one contestant rubbed his naked genitals against a female contestant -- that would have been a good oppurtunity to discuss appropriate and inappropriate sexual behavior and it's consequences.)
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I rate this title off and give it
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I rate this title on and give it
WOW!!!!!!!!!
THIS IS A GREAT SHOW FOR ALL AGES. YES, OCASSIONLY TWO CHARACTERS "MAKE OUT" BUT NOT OFTEN AND THEY BLEEP OUT MOST WORDS OTHERWISE THIS IS A FAMILY SHOW AND A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO SEE HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE WILD!!! I THINK 9 YEARS OF AGE AND UP
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I rate this title on and give it
A Show To Watch!
This is an excellent show for any age. Some may be offended by the morals chosen when strategizing, however, it is an excellent show to watch as a family. It is a particularly interesting show compared to the average reality TV Shows. An excellent show!
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I rate this title on and give it
great show
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