Common Sense Media Review
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Iffy attitudes about bears mating make this docu no picnic.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
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Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Brown Bears - Teddy Bears Picnic
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
BROWN BEARS - TEDDY BEAR PICNIC is a documentary show about bears in their wild habitat. They are shown waking up from hibernation, clambering among rocks, rivers, and fields in search of food, and eating prey. Baby cubs are released by humans into the wild and are filmed as they struggle to survive. Mating rituals are shown and discussed, as is parenting and survival of bears in the wild.
Is It Any Good?
This visually interesting, but oddly curated documentary show can't really be taken seriously. In Brown Bears - Teddy Bear Picnic, a mother bear emerges from a cave, shaking off a winters' sleep with a cub in tow. Though she's hungry and hankering for food, the mother bear takes the time to nurse her cub before going on the hunt for sustenance. This is all well and good. But her peer, a younger bear, is being stalked by a young male bear as she bathes in a lake. Thanks to the creepy narration sequence, the natural order of things -- animals in the wild do mate and reproduce, after all -- is sexualized in a way that raises red flags.
Another questionable interpretation occurs when men transporting two cages of baby cubs land on an island to release the cubs into the wild. They drop some apples and fish in hopes that the cubs will learn how to eat on their own. There is no plan for these animals -- just a drop off and maybe a check in later. "Hopefully they'll adapt," the narrator says. Such haphazard behavior makes this feel like less of a documentary show and more of a circus.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about teamwork in Brown Bears - Teddy Bear Picnic. How do bears work together to ensure their survival? Do you have a team you can count on?
Bears in wildlife are fun to watch -- from a distance. Do you love reading and learning about animals? Which books are your favorites?
The narrator says that humans see themselves in bears when they observe their behavior. Do you relate to a certain animal? What do you do to learn more about your favorite animals?
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 28, 2021
- Network : Max
- Genre : Educational
- Topics : STEM , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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