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Who Knew? With Marshall Brain

(Rated TV-G, Educational, Starring Marshall Brain, Where to watch: National Geographic Channel)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 4, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 7.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Factory field trips are smart fun for families.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 7 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    The series offers an educational look at the technology and craftsmanship that goes into cutting-edge manufacturing processes.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    A few segments centering on gun assembly show people test firing the weapons.

  • Sexy stuff:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Rare expletives like "s--t" are bleeped.

  • Consumerism:

    No outright promotional material, but the featured companies certainly get a lot of air time.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Who Knew? With Marshall Brain

Parents need to know that this intriguing docuseries -- which gives viewers an up-close look at the manufacturing processes behind products from automobile airbags to world's largest revolver -- is a great choice for curious families. The host explains each stage of production in a way that's easy for the average viewer to understand, though young kids probably won't have the attention span to follow a project from start to finish. Expect some rare bleeped swearing.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how the media serves as a learning tool. Did you find this show educational? Was that its sole purpose? How do producers balance the desire to pass along information with the need to entertain their audience? Do you think this series succeeded on both counts? What did you learn from watching?
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