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Pirate Master (CBS)

common sense media says

Jack Sparrow wannabes clash Survivor-style.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this series -- like most Survivor-type reality shows -- is heavy on trash talking, greed, animosity, and back-stabbing (though, in a refreshing change, there's not as much product placement and sponsorship as usual). Players use bribery, theft, and tentative alliances to safeguard their positions within the game, and it's often difficult to discern their strategies. Female contestants frequently wear tight, low-cut shirts or bikini tops that reveal maximum cleavage.

Positive messages: Although the pirates have to work together to find treasure, the series' competitive nature makes for tons of trash talking, confrontational scenes, and strong animosity among contestants. It's never clear who is trustworthy and who isn't, and players in power positions use money and influence to bribe others.
Violence: Treasure hunt scenes often include human skeletons (in one, a skull is impaled by a sword) and animal carcasses. Contestants talk metaphorically about ousting their peers -- "cutting throats," for example. Plenty of verbal sparring and some confrontations.
Sex: No direct sexual references, but the lady pirates wear low-cut shirts and bikini tops that reveal their cleavage. Some awkward flirting.
Language: Pretty mild: "ass," etc.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Pirate Master

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about the popularity of reality TV shows. What about them is appealing? Does this particular contest seem juvenile in any way? Are the strained relationships among the players real, or does the editing make them more intense than they actually are? Are sneaky tactics like bribery, cheating, and lying necessary to win? What message does that send to viewers about competition?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Reality TV takes to the open sea in PIRATE MASTER, a timber-shivering competition for aspiring Jack Sparrows. Contestants compete in trials of will and skill and follow treasure maps to buried gold, which accumulates over the course of the series to the winner's $1 million pot. After each challenge, the winning contestants elect a ship captain, who chooses two officers. Per pirate tradition, they divvy up the lion's share of the recovered gold and take up residence in a posh cabin below decks, while the remaining crew members are relegated to cramped bunks and have to take orders without question. At the end of each episode, the officers hand out summonses to the Pirate's Court; three of the summonses are marked with a black spot, indicating which players' fate is in jeopardy. After the unlucky trio defend themselves, the rest of the crew votes whether to eliminate one of them or band together to oust the captain. Whatever happens, the person eliminated is dramatically cut adrift (literally -- on a raft!) into the open sea.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Yes, it bears a few too many similarities to Survivor (which, not coincidentally, is also produced by reality guru Mark Burnett), but for saltwater-veined fans, Pirate Master's celebration of all things swashbuckling gives it a fresh new spin that's a lot of fun.

But parents, avast: Human skeletons litter the treasure-hunt path (some impaled with weapons), lady pirates bare plenty of cleavage (who knew buccaneers wore bikinis?), and expletives like "ass" are always a potential hazard. All of that, mixed with typical reality fare like trash-talking and animosity, makes this best suited for older tweens and teens.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-PG
Network: CBS
Cast: Cameron Daddo
Genre: Reality TV
Where to watch: CBS
This review was written by Emily Ashby
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

MagsOmama
adult
 
Great show for in between Survivor Seasons!
We are big fans of Survivor in our household. When the producers of that show came together and made Pirate Masters, we were pretty excited to have something to watch in between Survivor seasons. This show is different to other reality shows and recommend it to anyone over 12+. It does have foul lanuage, greed, and sexual content, which is not suitable for young children and tween age children.
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