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Man vs. Wild (Discovery Channel)

common sense media says

How not to die in the wilderness -- tweens and up.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this riveting adventure show depicts a trained survival expert escaping from dangerous natural locations. Viewers see him attempting dangerous maneuvers while describing the reasons for his choices, as well as the proper technique for achieving success. His actions are never rash, though at times he takes risks to demonstrate something particularly interesting, like how to escape quicksand. Occasionally Grylls appears naked, but his genitals are always blurred and the nudity is never sexual.

Positive messages: Grylls teaches responsible behavior in the outdoors. Includes information about endangered species.
Positive role models: Overall, Grylls is upbeat, positive, and resourceful. That said, some of the actions he takes in the name of survival aren't the kinds of things you'd want kids imitating at home -- self-inflicted enemas (in the interests of hydration), for example.
Violence: Some moderate peril; encounters with dangerous animals.
Sex: None; some non-sexual nudity -- with genitals blurred but butt exposed.
Language: Occasional "hell."
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Man vs. Wild

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about dangerous situations. What's the scariest place that parents and kids have ever been in? Has there ever been a situation you wondered how you'd get out of? What did you do? Have you taken any training to prepare for dangerous situations (first aid, self-defense, wilderness training)? What would you do if you found yourself in one of the situations that Grylls demonstrates?

What's the story?

What's the story?
In MAN VS. WILD, survival expert Bear Grylls helicopter drops into some of the world's harshest terrain and then fights his way back to safety. With only a few basic instruments, Grylls demonstrates survival techniques and teaches skills like finding water in the desert, climbing out of quicksand, catching fish without a pole, and fighting hypothermia after falling into a frozen lake. The idea is to provide help to adventure tourists who might find themselves stranded in inhospitable circumstances and would otherwise die or create a search-and-rescue nightmare. Throughout Grylls' adventures, he relates recent real-life tragedies of people stuck in similar situations.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
The combination of gorgeous locales -- like Utah's Moab Desert, the Costa Rican rainforest, and the Swiss Alps -- and Grylls' considerable British charm make Man vs. Wild a pleasure to watch. Whether an average tourist could recreate some of his feats (his first name is Bear, after all) is disputable, but it's certainly nail-biting to watch him scale a slippery desert wall and swim across the swift Colorado River. Throughout each gnarly adventure, Grylls is able to narrate his experience surprisingly well.

Tweens and up will enjoy Grylls' adventures, though parents may want to do a reality check with younger viewers to make sure they know that Grylls is highly trained -- and that kids shouldn't try any of his techniques, even for fun, without checking with an adult first (frying an egg on a rock is probably harmless, but catching a snake with a rock and a stick, not so much).

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-PG
Network: Discovery Channel
Cast: Bear Grylls
Genre: Reality TV
Where to watch: Discovery Channel

This review was written by Sierra Filucci
 
 

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What parents & educators say

11

Most useful reviews by all members

CoachT
parent of 4 and 10 year old
 
Real life Survivor...great for the whole family.
My family loves this show, correction me and my boys love this show my wife gets grossed out when he eats raw fish/animals. Us "men" are simply amazed by what he does. Very entertaining and educational. Who knew how easy it can be to survive these situations!...If you're not afraid of eating scorpions and climbing up trees to make your nights resting place...LOL

h8realitytv
parent of 18 year old
 
Aside from all the unmentioned "assisantance" the guy gets, I too am disgusted by why animals must be killed for viewers entertainmentl. I am not a "PETA" lover, but seeing animals senselessly killed for ratings is disgusting. I do not see why discovery rates this show PG. It should be R or even X since the killings are real.

Plague
parent
 
Man vs. Wild
Great show! Not as good as Survivorman in my opinion, but still a fun, educational show to watch. He sure does bring spunk and energy, but some of his survival techniques seem pretty unnecessary, unless of course you need to be absolutly desperate.

nintenkid
kid, 13 years old
 
This show is kinda a phony. I mean he does tough out the harsh places. But he has about 5 people with him the whole time. And as soon as season 4 hit he was butt naked in every episode. Only the Arctic Circle is completely censored

sissiebo333
teen, 13 years old
 
Even though Bear Gryllis encounters some non-realistic situations, it has great survival tips. I do think he does take off his clothes too much for kids under 8 to see. Overall, it is a great show. truly for entertainment purposes in my opinion.

haha45
kid, 11 years old
 
AWESOME!
This show's pretty good. I like watching it and so does my brother.

TheBookWorm101
kid, 13 years old
 
Best TV show ever!
I love this show so much! It's a great nature/survival show if your feeling the mood to watch something like that. I love it!!!!

 
Fine for 10+, there's some nudity..blurred out of course when he bathes, as for the "terrible" killing of animals, uhmm...would u let the animals live if you had to survive?...or would you eat them...thats what is being portrayed here. How to SURVIVE..not how to save the poor animals and starve to death..

achiever111
kid, 12 years old
 
man vs review
its great i think it educates people and how to survive in the wild very very minimum blood and its real but its safe and not bad at all.

TheUltimateRev ...
kid, 10 years old
 
Bear taking on wilderness - Survival show good for tweens and up.
Bear Grylls and his camera crew basically survive in dangerous wildernesses such as the desert, remote island, etc.Survival is actually intresting for tweens and up, Bear is not a threat here.He teaches you how to survive in the wild, included by techniques used by special forces and information about endangered species.I love it myself and find it intresting, although when he's naked on tv, all his privates are blurred.But however, his butt is sometimes exposed which i don't think young viewers need to see.The point is, Man vs. Wild is actually a great show, i would recommend it for family but not for people aged 7 and under.So, whenever you have a chance, gather the family and learn a thing or two on Man vs. Wild.

BlueSunday
teen, 15 years old
 
It's important for our survival.. but not food for the faint of heart
I've always thought it was pretty cool, that if you ever get lost you would know what to do. Sometimes his crew helps him, but usually its just to record it all, sometimes he does it himself! I know it is a little phony at times, but usually its pretty well done. I can't help but look away though has he kills animals to eat (to eat and what NOT to eat) plus its rather discusting. I like the episode when he's stuck out at sea, that was pretty awesome (not for ACTUAL people lost at sea though, that would not be fun) A lot of the places he goes is actually kinda cool, and he is trying to show what to do if you ever get stuck in the wild (some people do, a lot of people do everyday) so its really quite nessessary.

jfbrown42
parent of 14 year old
 
Now for a nice cup of pine needle tea... Lots of vitamins
This is a pretty entertaining show. Some of the stuff he has to eat (bugs, etc.) is pretty gross, but that's what you need to do to survive, which is what this show is about. For many kids, this show is the closest they will get to being in the wilderness, and god forbid, if they ever got stranded in the wilderness alone (e.g., a plane crash) I hope they might remember some of what they learn (finding safe water to drink, seeking shelter, building a fire) to help them survive.

L3HNZ
teen, 17 years old
 
Bear Grylls is the man!
last episode he cut a deer's heart out and sliced its throat. EPIC.

 
Unrealistic for the Average Man
This show just seems very unrealistic to me. Bear Grylls is extremely fit and can be seen jumping from planes, climbing mountains, and swinging from ropes; things the average American cannot do! He also kills snakes, camels, or anything he can get his hands on and eats it at once. I don't think he needs to kill animals like that. He does it almost senselessly and without much gratitude for the animal's unnecessary death. We all know he receives assistance from his crew so at least leave animals alone. I am not obssessed with animals, but he could demonstrate things without actually doing them.

 
awesome show!
awesome show but i wouldnt let a little kid watch it.

Krbbup
adult
 
Good Idea, But Terrible for Animal Lovers.
Before this show came out, my family watched Survivor Man and we thought it was pretty good. I am a huge animal lover and some parts of that show are just terrible. When Man Vs. Wild came out, we were very excited, but I soon found out that it was even worse. Animals are torn apart and eaten right on the spot in horrible ways. He has no respect for them at all and it is so not necessary. He also goes without clothes sometimes and makes everything out to be life and death (when it is not). I am very angry with him and I hardly ever watch the show now.

4kittiesrock
kid, 12 years old
 
Very entertaining
I sort of like it but sometimes it can get alittle gross at times.But overall its an awesme show. It shows how peple can actually survive in the wild. Plus tips

 
Pretty nasty at some parts
I like the idea about a guy trying to survive,but cmon drinking your pee,eating raw lizards,eating insects.Its still interesting though.You can get the dvd here *://moourl*/m05ae

MovieReviewGuy
teen, 14 years old
 
Good for 9+
Some things Bear Grylles does (eats live bugs, hermit crabs, termites, etc.) are gross. Though the ratings say nudity, it is very rare; I have seen a lot of Man vs. Wild episodes, and barely any have depicted nudity, and if at all, mostly just his chest. Very fascinating, and good to learn survival tips (God forbid you ever are stranded in the wilderness. Very entertaining. Good for 9+

MikaylaaMadisonn
teen, 16 years old
 
This is a great show. Very educational, and very entertaining. Very addicting, you can't just watch one episode of this show.

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