Parents' Guide to

Freakshow

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

A few shocking images, skimpy outfits in sweet reality show.

TV AMC Reality TV 2013
Freakshow Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

age 10+

RIpley's comes to life

Tattoos, piercings, and more, this is a circus freakshow at it's best. It's like Ripley's come to life. Creepy/freaky/gross for adults but surprisingly not for my 10 year old; the grosser the more "awesome!" for her. I suggest that parents preview each episode rather than watching live with children so that many questions can be anticipated.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

A show that just invited people to gawk at different-looking people would never work: The modern viewer can pull up page after page of human oddities on the Internet and get an eyeful of the most unusual performers in history. But Freakshow works because not only do we get to see weird stuff (like a spooky-skinny performer bashing a nail into his nose and pulling it out his mouth), we get to know the people themselves, and see them being supportive of each other.

It can't be easy being a young lady with a long, thick beard. The viewer already knows that. So listening to Jessa talk about growing up poor in Texas and learning to embrace her beard, and thus herself, will make sensitive viewers cringe. But watching her fellow performers embrace and support her is positively heart-warming. Freakshow doesn't shy away from showing strangeness. But its real winning quality is finding the sweetness beneath.

TV Details

  • Premiere date: February 14, 2013
  • Cast: Todd Ray
  • Network: AMC
  • Genre: Reality TV
  • TV rating: TV-14
  • Last updated: December 16, 2022

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