| 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. |
Parents need to know that although overall this game show is age-appropriate for most tweens and up, there is a fair amount of double entendre. Both male and female performers/contestants are congratulated on their looks, and the betting celebrities occasionally wager on whether the contestants will succeed at their challenges based on their appearances. Since the contestants aren't competing directly with each other, there're are fewer snarky, judge-type comments than on other reality contests.
The premise of WANNA BET? is simple. Ordinary people who can perform some pretty odd stunts -- from hula-hooping a tractor tire to skiing over fresh eggs without breaking them -- get the opportunity to perform in front of the cameras, while minor celebrities like Corbin Bernsen bet on whether or not the contestants can pull it off. The celebs get $25,000 to work with; the winner gives their pot to charity.
The scary thing about this show is the way it sucks you in. On paper, the premise sounds like it would be dreadful -- and yet, by the end of the first stunt, you can't help but cheer along with the performer.
British hosts Ant and Dec are charming -- and smart enough to keep the action moving. But ultimately, it's not the celebrities and the periodic, mildly off-color quips that offer the most entertainment. It's the stunts -- like the team of women who pit-stop a car against a team of professional men -- who get you cheering and laughing. Bottom line? It's silly, frothy, and an oddly fun way to spend an evening.
Families can talk about how the performers accomplish their various challenges. How do you think they learned to do such out of the ordinary things? Why do you think the contestants want to perform? Is it just to help win money for charity, or could they have other motivations? Why do people want to be on television?
| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Network: | ABC |
| Genre: | Game Shows |