Parents' Guide to Hunted

TV CBS Game Shows 2017
Hunted Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Melissa Camacho By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Regular folks go fugitive on troubling game show.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Based on the British game show of the same name, HUNTED is a reality competition featuring people volunteering to live as fugitives in hopes of winning $250,000. Nine teams of two U.S. citizens, ranging from criminal defense attorneys and realtors to parents of young children, must find a way to disappear into the Southeastern United States and keep hidden from law enforcement. Tracking them down are 32 top investigators, including former FBI agent Robert Clark, retired Navy Seal Andy Stumpf, former CIA agent Connie Min, and Lenny DePaul, a former U.S. Marshall. The teams try to evade capture for 28 days to win the cash, but they quickly discover that it's almost impossible to stay hidden in today's highly digital environment.

Is It Any Good?

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

This predictable and often contrived series features a modern-day cat-and-mouse game in which people are desperately on the move. While the fugitives try to think strategically and use their street smarts, most of the show is committed to showcasing the techniques used to find them, including collecting CCTV footage, using tracking software, flying drones, and employing old-fashioned sleuthing skills. Throughout it all, they highlight the endless ways that people leave behind their digital footprints, making them easier to find.

The idea that we're being watched and recorded at every turn is disturbing enough, but this is compounded by the fact that the activities featured here are usually associated with criminal behavior. Meanwhile, constant reminders to viewers that the people being "hunted" are U.S. citizens (as opposed to non-citizens or undocumented individuals, perhaps?) are also disconcerting. There may be some key messages here about the lack of privacy in the digital world, but overall, Hunted is more alarming than entertaining.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the reasons people agree to be on game shows such as Hunted. Is it just for the money, or is it the fame? Would you be willing to compete on one, even if it required you to do things you're uncomfortable with?

  • How appropriate do you think the challenge presented on Hunted is for a reality game show? What messages does it send?

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

Hunted Poster Image

What to Watch Next

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