Dude, You're Screwed

TV review by Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media
Dude, You're Screwed Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 12+

Interesting survivalist contest showcases skills, respect.

Discovery Channel Reality TV 2013
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Parents say

age 10+

Based on 4 reviews

Kids say

age 8+

Based on 1 review

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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 the survivalist reality contest Dude, You're Screwed features trained survivalists competing against each other by individually trekking across harsh global environments in a race against time. Expect a bit of rough language, with the stronger words bleeped, plus scenes of contestants being grabbed, handcuffed, and blindfolded as part of the game (but no one gets hurt). There's some blurred nudity, too, but this isn't sexual in nature. While there's some competitive banter, the show focuses on the skills of each of the contestants, as well as the respect they have for nature and for each other.

Community Reviews

ANAYNAYMUS
ANAYNAYMUS Adult
May 22, 2020
age 18+

Review thing

perdy good buttots fake but cool Matt is cool

This title has:

Great role models
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Iam Bex
Iam Bex Adult
January 16, 2015
age 12+

I loved the show until the Dracula Episode

Dude You're screwed is a fun show to watch if you keep in mind that is all staged. The survival tips are very valuable and the show is entertaining. But to go in with the belief that any of this is actually real then that's another story. The Romania/Dracula episode is the one that really dropped the curtain for me as a viewer. As the featured Dude approached the dark and sinister castle through the "Dense Wilderness" with no sign of civilization before is complete and utter bullflop. If you watch again you will notice that all the shots of the castle are very tight...you know why? Because it sits in the middle of a town. Check it out on Google Earth. So now when I watch the show and Google Earth is my companion you can see how truly full of crap the actual wilderness part is. Anyhow, it's entertaining and I like the banter among the dudes but if you go in thinking that there is any real element of danger and isolation...Think again. And yes every dude on the show does know exactly what continent and country they are in you can't black bag someone across international borders. Sorry folks.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

DUDE, YOUR SCREWED is a reality competition featuring five survivalists competing to get out of extreme environments within a 100 hour timeframe. It stars Green Beret Terry Schappert, John Hudson, an extreme survival instructor for the UK Royal Air Force, and Matt Graham, a primitive skills expert. Also competing is Jake Zweig, a former Navy Seal, and Tom Moore, a veteran Army Scout. Each survivalist is unexpectedly captured by the other four at work, home, or during a social event. After being searched for tools, weapons, or other items that can help him survive, he is dropped into one of the world's most extreme environments with only with only a few seemingly random items and a fully equipped cameraperson who cannot intervene during the journey. The rest of the survivalists watch and criticize his every move from a mobile command center, and even throw in a few surprises along the way. The one who manages to safely complete his trek in the least amount of hours within the 100 hour time limit wins the game.

Is It Any Good?

Dude, You're Screwed showcases the survivalist skills of each of the contestants, who use whatever knowledge, devices, ingenuity, and sheer strength they have to trek across harsh climates. They also highlight some of the challenges posed by the specific environments they find themselves in, as well as the mistakes that folks who are unfamiliar with the terrain make when trying to survive in similar conditions.

It's interesting, but much of the fun also comes from the other contestants, who both critique and express support for their competitors as they struggle to get through their journeys. The profound respect they each for each other is also underscored. It definitely appeals to nature and survival reality fans, but viewers across the board may find it worth watching.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how realistic TV reality shows featuring survivalists are. Are folks really facing dangerous situations while the camera is rolling? Does the camera person ever intervene? What if there is an emergency?

  • What kind of training does a person have to have in order to consider him or herself a survivalist?

TV Details

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