 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Most Evil
- Discovery Channel
- Genre: Reality TV
Common Sense Media says
Evil minds on parade. Too disturbing for kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that while the crimes and criminals being discussed aren't glorified, this show does delve into the disturbing details of horrific crimes. Dramatic narration, crime-scene imagery, and real video footage add a level of exposé-style intensity. Scientific methods and analysis offer an educational component, but parents need to know that this program frankly discusses disturbing psychopathic behaviors including cannibalism, child molestation, and torture.
What's the story?
Discovery Channel's MOST EVIL delves into the personal history, horrific crimes, and motivations of infamous killers like Ted Bundy, the BTK killer and Aileen Wuornos (pictured) in order to answer this question: What drives people to commit such horrific acts? The show features leading experts in psychology and neurology (from esteemed institutions such as Harvard, Columbia, and USC) -- including the host, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Michael Stone -- as they uncover and analyze the physiological and psychological traits and personal experiences of psychotic killers and cold-blooded, psychopathic liars. Is it possible to be born evil?
Is it any good?
The science and investigative approaches presented are fascinating, as are the featured experts and professionals (fields include biology, psychology, and criminology). The show invites discussion and further research of various careers in forensics, psychology, neurology, biology, criminal profiling, and other areas. It also presents good examples of scientific research, methodology, and analysis.
That said, a lot of time is dedicated to describing notorious crimes and criminals in dramatic fashion. Overall, it's interesting and informative, but a decent portion is devoted to slickly produced dramatic effects.Most Evil's borderline-sensational approach keeps the audience's attention, but its sometimes heavy-handed tactics eat up precious minutes that could be better spent on the fascinating scientific evidence. There's certainly an educational component to the show, but the content is questionable for all except mature older teens, and, when combined with the dramatic production (sinister music, a dark narrative tone, and crime scene images), may be too disturbing for younger or more sensitive viewers.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the methods and analysis used by different types of professionals to determine what makes notorious criminals tick. How is evidence from varying sciences combined to create a more complete profile of the criminal mind? How can scientific evidence help in crime prevention and in diagnosing mental disorders? This program also invites discussion of the most severe psychological disorders and the factors behind them.
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
Great for Psychology Majors
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
I loved it
very interesting,most evil is my favorite show on tv.
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
Intrsting.
I love the show I think it is really intresting and I look forward to more.
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
Most Evil is a Must See
I love this show. I think it's a fascinating blend of the most common questions asked when dealing with someone that society labels as "evil" - nature or nurture or both. Whether he's discussing someone of widespread notoriety such as Charles Manson or Ted Bundy or lesser known people like Mary Beth Tinning and Diana Dial, Dr. Stone chooses to do as complete a background check as possible before deciding where to place people on his "Scale of Evil". Please look beyond the title and listen to the science - it is very rewarding, I assure you.
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
a mixed emotion
i would like to say that the show was very enlightening for the most part but i had to tend to disagree with many of the assumptions made about why a person kills i am a psychology major and i would like to make my assumptions known all of these pychologist think they know the answers but the fact that remains is that if they did know the answers these people would have easier to catch the truth is that these people learn from what they see you make it easier for them to try to get away with it... thank you
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Teen, 17 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
Facinating show!
Despite the fact that this program is pretty much all about serial killers, "Most Evil" is a facinating documentary series about the minds of serial killers. I plan on becoming a criminal psychologist, so I, of course, found it very entertaining and educational. My only beef with it is the clashing of it's number one theme and it's actual content. The purpose of the show is to explain criminal minds, frequently using the controversial and outdated term, "evil," and yet all the evidence is purely scientific and logial, that the "evil" behavior is biological/psychological. But overall I found it very interesting and definately worth a watch.
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Teen, 14 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
Very Good Show
I really enjoy watching this show! I think that if you are intrested in psychology or criminology, then this would be a show that would spark your intrest. I like it because they talk about the events in a very un-biased way, and explain why this person became this way.
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Adult
November 1, 2009
AGE
Putting the blame where it belongs
I really enjoy watching this show it is very informative. I do have a problem however with people not being held responsible for thier own actions. It is always someone elses fault.( cults, parents, clergy, voices inside thier heads.) I do understand that thier are many pyschological and physical reasons people do the things that they do but to not hold them responsible, to give them an out so that they can continue to blame someone else. It prevents them from being able to understand that what ever they did was not the persons fault and to own the actions they decided to take as thier own and truly be able to live thier lives on thier own terms.
What other families should know:
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| TV rating: | TV-14 |
| Network: | Discovery Channel |
| Cast: | Michael Stone |
| Genre: | Reality TV |
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