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Treasure Quest

(Rated TV-PG, Reality TV, Starring Nadia Dajani, Where to watch: Discovery Channel, DVD)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 9.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Deep sea exploration show emphasizes profit over history.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    While exploration and the use of science are important elements of the show, the importance of the finds is almost always described in terms of monetary profit ("a billion dollars' worth of gold and silver") rather than their historical/educational signficance. The explorers do stay on the right side of the law, but the narrator mentions upfront that the crew members have been criticized as crass treasure hunters -- a criticism that goes unanswered. There also seems to be little, if any, concern about preserving the sites for archaeological purposes or reference to the fact that these were sites where human beings died.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.
  • Sex:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    There are no bleeps, but one word that sounded like "f--k" got slurred over at one point.
  • Consumerism:

    The crew's primary motive seems to be profit, with learning a side benefit.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Treasure Quest

Parents need to know that this educational/reality show about oceangoing explorers/treasuer seekers, while interesting, is more focused on how much money can be made on the finds than on their historical significance. The featured company has been in trouble with the law over what they've recovered, and the line between what makes a recovery appropriate vs. inappropriate is a little on the blurry side. But there's no language, sex, or violence to worry about, and tweens who dream of treasure hunting may find it interesting.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how TV's version of "reality" can be affected by things like narration and what footage producers choose to leave in and/or edit out. How does that change a show's messages and storylines? In the case of this particular show, how do you think it would be different if the narration focused more on the items being found and their historial significance, rather than what they're worth? Ultimately, does this show feel more like reality TV or an educational series? Why?

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    Biased review and horribly unfair.

    I have followed the Odyssey Marine Exploration company for more than fifteen years. This review is complete nonsense. If the reviewer were to pay attention to the show, he or she would have learned that this company painstakingly preserves the sites they explore, has close relationships with the archeological community and is keenly interested in keeping a database of information a lot of which is shared with the scientific community at large. In trouble with the law? Check again and apologize before you get sued. Never in its history. Is the company interested in profit making. Yes. Is that a crime, because if so, let's take a look at the oil companies who are amongst the most profitable businesses on earth and who also make their living off the ocean floor.

  2. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Georgia
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 1.0

    Odyssey has not been in trouble with the law

    I have followed the company for years. It is an extraordinary company that looks for gold while preserving artifacts and history that would otherwise lie at the bottom of the Ocean. Odyssey Marine Exploration Co. has not "been in trouble with the law over what they have found", and this false statement should be retracted.

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 3.0

    Misleading review

    The review that Common Sense has posted contains an unfounded smear against Odyssey Marine. Odyssey has NOT had "trouble with the law." There are other claimants to the very large treasure Odyssey found most recently, and the matter is being handled properly in the courts in a CIVIL case. Odyssey is doing things the right way. Spain illegally detained Odyssey's vessels and the vessels were released.

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