Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Family movie night? There's an app for that

Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

Hole in the Wall

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Quirky game show is full of clumsy but funny moments.

TV Cartoon Network Game Shows 2010
Hole in the Wall Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 8+

Based on 4 parent reviews

Al Jackson
Al Jackson Adult
April 14, 2012
age 7+

This show is a piece of garbage!

MORE LIVE ACTION CRAP?! What in the world is wrong with you Cartoon Network! This show is really lame! THANK GOD they canceled this!
Steffauri516
Steffauri516 Parent of 1 and 8-year-old
July 21, 2011
age 4+

Boring show, fails to entertain young ones :/

I'm not sure what's going on with CARTOON Network having all of these hackneyed "live action" shows all of a sudden, but by daughter really isn't pleased haha. I have an 8 year old daughter and a 1 year old son, and my daughter is entertained by and enjoys many of the old and new shows on CN, but when it gets to most all of their live programming she loses interest very quickly. Hole In The Wall is a family game show that does not exhibit any negative or inappropriate scenes, actions or language other than light trash-talking from team to team, but to put it bluntly, it's just plain stupid and uninteresting. The first time we found it on television I sat down with my daughter to watch and she asked to turn it about 10 minutes in. I'd rate it on for ages 4 and up, but I doubt your kids will hold interest...
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Based on a Japanese game show, HOLE IN THE WALL has a simple premise: Two teams of three people dressed in spandex and helmets try to contort their bodies to fit through shapes cut out in a large wall that's moving toward them. Teams gain or lose points based on their ability to clear the moving barrier; those who fail to clear a hole also get swept into a pool of water. The team that accumulates the most points after four rounds wins the coveted Hole in the Wall trophy. They also get a chance to play a final round for a chance to be immortalized on the show's wall of fame.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (11 ):

This stunt-based game show almost looks like a live-action version of the video game Tetris as the players attempt to fit into openings of various shapes and sizes. But unlike the electronic version, this game is more about watching people awkwardly shift their bodies and get shoved into water by the moving barrier.

Unlike earlier versions of the show, the series aims at being family friendly by featuring teams of parents and children. While there is some competitive behavior, everyone on the show seems to be genuinely having fun. The overall humor isn't intended to be insulting, either. It's not the most intelligent of shows, but viewers will probably find themselves laughing at some of the antics.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what drives people to participate in game shows -- particularly those that make them look silly and/or clumsy. Is it just for the prizes, or is it for the chance to be on television? Do you think these kinds of shows ever go too far?

  • Discuss why some Japanese game shows remain popular on television. What makes them different from American game shows? Are the U.S. versions of these shows different from the originals? How? Are any American game shows exported to Japan?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

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.

See how we rate