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Bully Beat Down
Parents say
Kids say
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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 half of this show is devoted to physical violence -- specifically, cage fighting -- and that the objective is to teach bullies not to pick on victims by having them go head to head with professional-level martial artists. There's also some salty language (think "hell" and "ass") and heavy use of provocative statements like this: "Yo, bring us your bully, and we'll beat him down."
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Not worth your time, even detrimental
Wrong for anyone!
This is the show for me
What's the story?
In BULLY BEATDOWN, fed-up victims nominate their real-life enemies for the ultimate revenge: going head to head with a professionally trained mixed martial artist in a no-holds-barred cage fight. In case the show's title isn't a dead giveaway, the bully gets a sobering beatdown -- and some serious taunting from host Jason "Mayhem" Miller (who's also a mixed martial artist). But there's also some cash involved: In the first round, the bully is given $5,000 ... but his victim gains $1,000 of it every time the bully has to "tap out" of the fight. In the second round, the bully starts with another $5,000 but loses it all to his victim if he's knocked out or decides to forfeit.
Is it any good?
Fans of mixed martial arts action, especially those who know what it's like to be picked on by a bully, will dig this trumped-up revenge scenario that puts up to $10,000 cash in the pockets of the bully's victim. Others might be midly entertained at best.
But the show is at its most satisfying when the bully and victim can actually resolve their differences outside the ring, as in the episode in which a victim and his battered and bruised bully -- who just so happens to be his much bigger younger brother -- ultimately embraced and said "I love you." The reconciliation not only seemed genuine, but it also gave this reality-based game show a much-needed dose of humanity.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about bullying and whether it's a problem they can relate to at home or at school. Teens: Do you know anyone that you'd classify as a bully? Have they ever hurt you or someone you know -- either physically or emotionally? Why do you think they act the way they do?
Do you think a show like this one could
actually change a bully's behavior in the long term? Or is it merely exploiting both the bully and the victim?
TV details
- Premiere date: March 22, 2009
- Cast: Hans Olsen, Jason Miller, John Mccarthy
- Network: MTV
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-14
- Available on: Streaming
For kids who love reality TV
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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.