 | 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. |
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
- ABC
- Genre: Game Shows
Common Sense Media says
Iconic game show offers mind-tickling fun for families.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this game show is a worry-free option for families with tweens and up. There’s nothing about its content that's likely to concern parents aside from a few well-placed plugs for show sponsors, and the quiz-style format makes for fun play-along viewing. As with any contest, there’s the potential for some risk-taking and the possibility that a participant’s greed could result in the loss of winnings, but overall it’s good, family-friendly entertainment that rewards well-rounded knowledge.
What's the story?
Contestants on WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE put their general knowledge reserves to the test for the chance to earn (you guessed it) up to $1 million. Each must answer a series of trivia questions of increasing difficulty; if they get all 15 right, they get the million. Players have several "lifelines," which let them ask for help if they’re stumped, and they can walk away at any time with the money they’ve already earned. The daily syndicated version of the show is hosted by Meredith Vieira, but Regis Philbin stands in for the show's primetime "event" runs.
Is it any good?
This iconic show -- which made household terms out of phrases like "Is that your final answer?" -- remains a staple in the modern game-show industry. After a three-year heyday in primetime starting in 1999 (during which it was broadcast as often as four nights a week), the show moved to daytime TV and adopted some new rules, imposing time limits for contestants’ answers and adding a fourth lifeline option that was earned when a player surpassed a designated monetary value. Other minor format changes have occurred through the years, serving to streamline and expedite the show.
No matter which versio you end up watching, Millionaire continues to entertain families -- and the good news is that there’s no reason to sweat sharing it with your tweens and teens. It’s fun to put your own grasp of trivia up against the contestants' as you watch at home, and you’ll probably learn something new each time you tune in. The only issue that adults might have with the content is the deliberate mention of sponsors like AT&T, Skype, and AOL, but in today’s commercialized media market, even these instances seem slight.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about taking risks. How do you weigh the pros and cons of taking risks? Are you generally a risk-taker, or do you like to play things safe? What would you have done in a particular contestant’s position? When in your own life has taking a risk paid off?
How does the media market products? What, if any, product placement did you notice in this show? What benefits do show sponsors receive? Do you change your buying habits based on what you see on TV?
If you won a large sum of money, what would you do with it? How would your actions pay off in the long run?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
I HATE TIMED MILLIONAIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DONT WATCH IT! UGH! I USED TO WANT TO BE A CONTESTANT ON MILLIONAIRE UNTIL IT WAS TIMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOEVER SYNDICATED THIS, YOU GONNA PAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU RUINED MY DREAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYBODY, LETS BOYCOTT MILLIONAIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 10 years old
March 26, 2011
AGE
Language is the only issue.Contestants swear infrequently like "hell",please i need help you bastards(s).
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Nice game show
On this game show they ask you questions on certain topics, so you really do have to think (kinda like Jepordy, expect reverse). Families can watch it without worring about lots of violence, sex, language, etc.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
My favorite game show of all time~
There are no other reviews for Millionaire?! It's incredibly fun to watch (I've been watching it since I was five) and I love to play along. I watch the original host, Regis Philbin, do the show at 11pm every night on GSN. (Meredith Veira (sp?) is good too) It's completely fine to watch with any age kid, although they may not be able to answer many questions, it's still thrilling to watch. (I thought it was even when I was 5)
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Best game show ever!
Except for Celebrity Millionaire and some episodes of Super Millionaire, this is a TV-G rated show. Millionaire really is the best game show ever. It celebrates the importance of having a good education, you don't have to worry about inappropriate content and you can watch it safely with your whole family. Product placement is only a minor issue since AT&T and Skype are mentioned in both the network and syndicated versions. Except for Wipeout, ABC has not had a successful game show since the 2004 Super Millionaire finale. Please watch the new revival of Millionaire on Sundays-Thursdays @ 8/7c for two weeks beginning August 9th on ABC. If ratings are good enough, ABC will probably order more episodes.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Great game show offers excitement and entertainment!
Wow! Awesome game show! I have never watched the original one with Regis Philbin though. There is some iffy content in the show though. Sometimes the word h-ll pops up in some questions. Some questions are references to sexual movies or other topics. Example: There was once a question about the movie Sex and the City. There is consumerism too. Skype is mentiones in almost every episode. Some trivia has to do with some companies, movies, shows, celebrities, or games. In conclusion, although it is an awesome show, I rate it on for ages 12 and up.
Was this review useful?
|
|
| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Network: | ABC |
| Cast: | Meredith Vieira, Regis Philbin |
| Genre: | Game Shows |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
