Parents' Guide to

Flinch

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Troubling game show uses torture techniques for laughs.

Flinch Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (3):

This silly and unecessarily brutal series features people trying to keep themselves from reacting to a barrage of challenges specifically designed to be unnerving. While some of these challenges may remind viewers of those featured on Fear Factor, others just seem a bit weird. However, the real draw to the show is watching people endure the punishments. Granted, the pain inflicted by acts such as pouring hot candle wax on a contestant's hands and legs or snapping a mousetrap on one's fingers appears more uncomfortable than intolerable. But it's never made clear why contestants are putting themselves through this, which makes the satisfaction the audience is presumably supposed to feel as a result borderline sadistic. Some people may find it funny, but overall, Flinch is a socially irresponsible series that has the potential to do more harm than good.

TV Details

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