Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Quirky bowling tour docu has cursing, drinking, logos.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Born to Bowl
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Executive produced by Ben Stiller and narrated by Liev Schreiber, BORN TO BOWL is a docuseries about five bowling stars on the 2025 Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) tour. Cameras follow Kyle Troup, Anthony Simonsen, E.J. Tackett, Cameron Crowe, and Australian Jason Belmonte as they compete for titles, prize money, and bragging rights for roughly four months. From qualifiers and matches to championship finals, they each share their passion for the sport and their biggest rivalries.
Is It Any Good?
Each installment of the entertaining five-part docuseries offers viewers the chance to learn more about professional bowling and the top athletes in the sport. Despite the sports' ancient Egyptian (and later European) roots, Born to Bowl stays true to the notion that bowling is a fun and unpretentious all-American "average person's" game. It also showcases some of the more colorful and quirky aspects of the sports' culture, drawing a fine line between highlighting what makes it fun and unique for those who are passionate about it, and poking fun at the same things for the amusement of those who aren't. Nonetheless, Born to Bowl is a well-produced TV sports documentary, and will have you rooting for players to win, and feeling sorry for those who lose.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about bowling. What are your perceptions of the activity/sport? What did you learn from this series?
Does Born to Bowl characterize people who enjoy the sport according to stereotypes? Or is it simply documenting what the sport, and the athletes who play it, are really like?
TV Details
- Premiere date : March 16, 2026
- Cast : Liev Schreiber , Kyle Troup , E.J. Tackett
- Network : HBO
- Genre : Reality TV
- Topics : Competition , Friendship , Sports
- Character Strengths : Gratitude , Perseverance
- TV rating :
- Last updated : March 23, 2026
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