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Pawn Stars

(Rated TV-PG, Reality TV, Starring Richard Harrison, Rick Harrison, Corey Harrison, Where to watch: History)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 11, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 13.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Bickering, hard bargains mark show about family business.

Themes in this show include:   family relationships

Why We Rated This on for Ages 13 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Although the shop owners aren’t necessarily looking to rip off their clients, they're very sharp and might make lowball offers when buying products from people who don’t know the things' value. At the same time, they often comment on whether or not they’ve gotten the short end of a deal. Both buyer and seller beware.
  • Role models:

    The three men who run the shop -- father, son, and grandfather -- have a close but tempestuous relationship and bicker often. And they're aggressive salesmen, always looking for an edge in a deal. They aren’t unscrupulous, but they do push hard for the best price in any transaction. It’s not personal; it’s just business.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Frequent heated arguments, but nothing physical.
  • Sex:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Plenty of swearing (including words like "f--k"), but the strongest words are bleeped.
  • Consumerism:

    As part of doing business, the pawn shop handles many high-end products with well-known brand names, ranging from antique Colt revolvers to Salvador Dali paintings and Chris-Craft motorboats.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Pawn Stars

Parents need to know that this reality series about the inner workings of a family-run Las Vegas pawn shop provides an interesting look at capitalism at its most basic level. The father, son, and grandfather who run the store are very sharp and drive a hard bargain. The tempestuous trio are clearly close, but they also bicker frequently (and loudly), usually over business issues. Expect plenty of bleeped swearing. The shop buys and sells a wide variety of valuable goods and frequently mentions high-end brand names.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about what makes for a fair deal for both buyers and sellers. The Harrisons think carefully about every deal and drive a hard bargain -- do you think they're fair, or do they ever take advantage of people?
  • Though they clearly love each other, the Harrisons disagree often. Do you think they'd argue as much if they weren’t related to each other? Would you want to work with your family?
  • What kind of reputation does the pawn shop business in general have? Where does that reputation come from? How do movies and TV shows impact your impressions of the business?

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    FIRST OF ALL THIS SHOW CAN SHOW YOUR CHILDREN WHAT BISNESS THEY SHOULD GET INTO. ALL THIS TAKES IS BACKING AND LOTS OF IT. IN THIS DAY AND AGE YOU SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PART WITH FOR A BUCK. THE UNFORTUNATE THING ABOUT THIS SHOW IS THAT THEY NEVER SHOW PEOPLE GOING IN TO BUY ITEMS. I THINK THAT WOULD GIVE THE SHOW MORE DIMENSION. THEN YOU CAN SEE WHY THEY ARE IN THE BIS. PAY LOW AND SELL HIGH IS THE NAME OF THE GAME IN NOT JUST THIS PAWN SHOP BUT ALL PAWN SHOPS. IF YOU EVER PAWN DIAMONDS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THEM APPRAISED BEFORE PAWNING THEM. I HAVE HEARD OF PAWN SHOPS TAKING OUT REAL GOOD DIAMONDS AND PUTTING IN EITHER CRAPPY ONES OR FAKES. SO BE AWARE OF YOUR DIAMONDS.

  2. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    FIRST OF ALL THIS SHOW CAN SHOW YOUR CHILDREN WHAT BISNESS THEY SHOULD GET INTO. ALL THIS TAKES IS BACKING AND LOTS OF IT. IN THIS DAY AND AGE YOU SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PART WITH FOR A BUCK. THE UNFORTUNATE THING ABOUT THIS SHOW IS THAT THEY NEVER SHOW PEOPLE GOING IN TO BUY ITEMS. I THINK THAT WOULD GIVE THE SHOW MORE DIMENSION. THEN YOU CAN SEE WHY THEY ARE IN THE BIS. PAY LOW AND SELL HIGH IS THE NAME OF THE GAME IN NOT JUST THIS PAWN SHOP BUT ALL PAWN SHOPS. IF YOU EVER PAWN DIAMONDS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THEM APPRAISED BEFORE PAWNING THEM. I HAVE HEARD OF PAWN SHOPS TAKING OUT REAL GOOD DIAMONDS AND PUTTING IN EITHER CRAPPY ONES OR FAKES. SO BE AWARE OF YOUR DIAMONDS.

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