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Your Worst Animal Nightmares (Animal Planet)

common sense media says

Bloody animal survival stories are too sensational for kids.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this series -- which features dramatic reenactments of violent animal encounters -- is much too intense for young kids. Victims are shown being chased and bitten by wild animals and are often seen screaming in terror or in pain. Expect lots of bloody, gaping wounds, as well as some victims shown close to death as a result of their injuries. While the animals are never blamed for defending their territory, the show leans more toward sensationalizing the attacks than explaining them scientifically.

Positive messages: Animals are never blamed for attacking people and scientific explanations are offered for their behavior, but the show’s real focus is on sensationalizing the attacks and showing how people survived.
Violence: The reenactments are explicit and graphic. People are shown being chased, attacked, bitten, and eaten alive by wild animals. Blood is shown spurting from gaping wounds caused by animal attacks or by accidental injuries, and victims are shown screaming in fear or pain. Computer graphics during the opening of the show feature blood spatters. Occasional archival footage of people shooting animals is shown.
Sex: Nothing sexual. At least one victim is shown taking off her shirt (so she can use it as a tourniquet on her bleeding leg) and wandering in a sports bra.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Your Worst Animal Nightmares

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about how shows like this impact the way that people think about and treat wild animals. Do you think showing people being chased and/or injured by animals is educational or exploitative? Families can also discuss what causes wild animals to attack humans to begin with. Are they hungry? Fearful? Curious? What kinds of things should people avoid doing in wild creatures' territory?

What's the story?

What's the story?
YOUR WORST ANIMAL NIGHTMARES reenacts the true stories of people who survived violent encounters with some of the world's deadliest animals. Using interviews with survivors and witnesses, archival news footage, and lots of graphic imagery, each narrative offers an account of the events that brought victims face to face with predators like crocodiles, venomous snakes, and great white sharks. Dramatized scenes demonstrate how the attack happened and show how each person was able to escape. Throughout it all, animal specialists offer scientific reasons behind the animals' behavior and point out some of the ways that people may have inadvertently turned themselves into prey.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

The show is pretty violent, with frequent scenes of people being chased, attacked, bitten, and/or eaten alive. Victims (many of whom are the actual attack survivors) are shown screaming in fear and pain, throwing up, and having other panicked reactions. Some of these moments are replayed several times in a single segment in order to make the story even more shocking.

The animals aren't blamed for their behavior, but younger and/or sensitive viewers may find the sensational way that the stories are told to be too scary and/or overwhelming to appreciate the scientific information and animal trivia that accompany the reenactments. As a result, the show misses the mark as an educational tool even as it sends a frightening warning about what can happen when humans violate an animal's space.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-14
Network: Animal Planet
Cast: John Panzarella
Genre: Reality TV
Where to watch: Animal Planet

This review was written by Melissa Camacho
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

drama movie fan
teen, 14 years old
 
PERFECT SCARE IN ANIMAL STYLE
The show is perfect for older tweens and young and old teens who love a good scare ANIMAL STYLE. Based on true stories these scary stories will send chills up evryones spines. It includes a lot of frightful images including: dead bodies, people being eaten by wild animals, people being biten by snakes and spider ect. ONLY FOR MATURE 12 YEAR OLD AND UP.

 
not for young kids
i tried watching this with my 10 year old daughter but it was way to scary for her so scary we had to turn it off. There is lots of vilonce and suspence but nothing else.

love2
parent of 19 year old
 
cool show!
very vilont and very scary but it's still an awsome show!

txt me
teen, 14 years old
 
great show!!!!!!
this is a awsome show. but the episodes are really intense, grusome,scary,suspenseful ECT. awsome show that kids will find to scary, most tweens will be interested in, and teenagers will love!!

aamd13
kid, 11 years old
 
cant wait to see it...we get animal planet...hd too :D it said explicit reenactments but ill see about that
sounds violent BUT AWESOME LOL...never seen it but it sounds cool. the main review really helped me decide...main review meaning the one at the top of the page...XD thanks for reading this (if u did) btw this show is rated TV-14 and not alot of shows i watch r TV-14...though im not scared of the rating TV-14.

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About our rating system
ON: Content is 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