America's Most Wanted
Common Sense says
- Fox, Lifetime Television
- Reality TV
- 1988
Parents say
Kids say
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Get it now on
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that while this crime-fighting show offers a valuable service, it's also scary and violent. With the creepy close-ups of criminal photos and graphic descriptions and re-enactments of horrible crimes, the show can be unsettling for adults as well as kids. It's intense -- watching victims' families deal with the aftermath is heart-wrenching, and knowing these dangerous criminals could be lurking nearby is terrifying. The crimes that are described and re-enacted (including murder, child pornography, and kidnappings) are violent and often bloody. Sometimes the program shows actual crime-scene photos.
Wondering if America's Most Wanted is OK for your kids?
Set preferences and get age-appropriate recommendations with Common Sense Media Plus. Join now
Stay up to date on new reviews.
User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Violent but we need to get these creeps off the streets
14 and up.
good purpose but sad
What's the story?
AMERICA'S MOST WANTED offers viewers the opportunity to catch criminals, locate missing children, and help federal and state police solve and prevent crimes. It's been on the air since 1988 and continues to enjoy great popularity. Created by host John Walsh, whose young son was kidnapped and murdered in 1981, the program seeks to empower everyday people who want to stop crime.
Is it any good?
While the show offers a valuable service (to date nearly 1000 criminals have been caught due to viewer tips), it's too frightening for kids (and some adults). The descriptions, re-enactments, and crime-scene photos are graphic, and the close-up photographs of the criminals are potentially nightmare-inducing. The show instills a fear that the criminal in question could be lurking right outside your door.
Need an example? One episode profiled a man who brutally murdered his wife then went on a crime spree in which he sexually molested several young girls. The whole sordid tale was re-enacted to drive home the horror of these crimes. Bottom line: Kids shouldn't be watching this show. Even adults who tune in may be left feeling unsettled -- and checking to make sure the door is locked.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about whether the value of catching criminals outweighs the fear the show inherently creates. How does the program use the anxiety it evokes to its advantage? Would people be as likely to call in tips if the show's tone wasn't so alarmist? Are the re-creations of the crimes necessary, or do they serve merely to titillate the audience?
TV details
- Premiere date: February 7, 1988
- Cast: Don LaFontaine, John Walsh, Wes Johnson
- Networks: Fox, Lifetime Television
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: September 19, 2019
Our editors recommend
Top advice and articles
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
Streaming options powered by JustWatch