Kid Nation

Injuries occasionally force kids to leave the show (cooking burns, a broken bone). More minor injuries -- and the victims' pain-filled reactions -- are shown as well. Brief, very occasional exchanges of pushing and shoving; yelling (particularly in Town Council meetings) and heated verbal exchanges are more common. At least one somewhat graphic scene shows chickens being killed, plucked, and butchered for cooking.

Infrequent use of words like "hell" and "bitch"; stronger language (typically from some of the older kids when they're angry) is blurred out/made inaudible. Words like "sucks," "shut up," "idiot," "freaking," and "screw that" also pop up.

The kids have nightly gatherings in the town saloon, where they drink root beer and other sodas -- which sometimes look a lot like real beer (especially when the older kids drop shot glasses full of clear liquid into full pint glasses and knock 'em back like pros).

Parents need to know that this controversial reality show follows a group of tweens and teens trying to rebuild a deserted pioneer town without any adult supervision. No one actively guides the kids' decisions or steps in to avoid disaster, and the youngsters cook, clean, and govern for themselves. Injuries do occur, and some (burns, broken bones) are serious enough to send the victims home, but on the more minor stuff (muscle pulls, scrapes, etc.), it's up to the kids to play doctor. In one-on-one confessionals, kids often get very upset -- to the point of tears -- about being far from their homes and families (tears also sometimes pop up after yelling exchanges at town meetings). While the show stresses teamwork, it also motivates kids with a cash-value prize that no tween would ever be able get their hands on in real life. All of that said, the series showcases kids' (well, these kids, at least) ability to combat problems with a democratic exchange of ideas and teamwork.