Destroyed in Seconds
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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 this reality show is all about destruction. It features clips of real car accidents, airplane crashes, and boating mishaps, as well as footage of other real things blowing up, falling down, and being destroyed in an amazing variety of ways. Sometimes the events seem just as dramatic as similar incidents from the movies or TV, sometimes they seem less exciting, and sometimes they're even more explosive -- but they're always more compelling, because they involve real people who are in real peril. There are few images of people actually being injured on screen, but the potential is always there.
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Great!
What's the story?
The title of DESTROYED IN SECONDS really explains it all. Ron Pitts hosts this relatively intense reality show, narrating clip after clip of harrowing real-life accidents. There are car crashes, airplane crashes, boat crashes, and many, many other kinds of accidents. Watch a tornado lift an entire house off its foundation. Watch a ship plow into a bridge at full speed and burst into flames while the crew runs around the deck trying to salvage their doomed vessel. Watch a fierce windstorm literally shake a suspension bridge to pieces. And so on.
Is it any good?
Some of these accidents -- captured on amateur video, surveillance cameras, and news footage -- are just that, completely random events that couldn't be prevented or predicted. Others are the result of human error, from minor mistakes to massive blunders in judgment. As these disasters unfold, Pitts explains what's happening and what caused them, as well as noting whether the people involved survived (given the scope of these catastrophes, it's surprising how often there are no fatalities). The show sometimes runs clips again in slow motion to highlight when someone managed to jump off a boat or bail out of a plane at the last minute.
For an audience raised on the high-octane faux explosions of Hollywood blockbusters, these real blasts will look a bit different. Some seem less impressive but still quite deadly, while others look a lot like the fictional version. But knowing that real people are in real danger makes all of these clips seem more harrowing than any fictional film or TV show.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the impact of watching real-life crashes and accidents. Do these incidents seem more or less dangerous than similar ones in movies or TV shows? Do they seem more dramatic? Why or why not? Families can also discuss whether they think these dangerous accidents are truly random events or are the fault of the people involved. Do you think those people made any foolish mistakes? Does this show teach you anything about safety?
TV details
- Premiere date: August 21, 2008
- Cast: Ron Pitts
- Network: Discovery Channel
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-14
- Available on: DVD
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