Parents' Guide to

Kidnap & Rescue

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Gritty docuseries highlights violence, cruelty.

TV Discovery Channel Reality TV 2010
Kidnap & Rescue Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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What's the Story?

KIDNAP & RESCUE is a reality docuseries that looks at the secretive world of extreme kidnapping. It features first-hand accounts and reenactments of the abduction of men, women, and children, who are taken across international borders to be sold into slavery and/or held for high ransoms. It offers details about what hostages go through when they are in captivity. We see some of the strategies employed by the various volunteer, government, and private security teams to recover them safely, which range from facilitating ransom negotiations to organizing and carrying out dangerous rescue missions.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The series offers a gritty look at the practice of kidnapping, a crime that is becoming more commonplace in the United States thanks to the rise of organized crime syndicates and other dangerous groups both in the U.S. and abroad. But most of the show's focus is on the actual kidnapping and the cruelty and torture that victims endure while being held hostage, rather than the sophisticated work that goes into recovering them safely.

There are things to be learned here, including the fact that this crime can happen to anyone. But the violent reenactments that are used to underscore each victim's plight make the show more lurid than informative. Meanwhile, the recreated conversations between rescuers are a little theatrical. Those interested in real crime stories may find it interesting, but overall the show offers more sensation than substance.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in the media. Is it necessary to show violent behavior in order to highlight a dangerous and/or violent situation? Can a TV show, film, or documentary have the same kind of impact without showing brutal acts and/or blood and gore?

  • What is the impact of violence on kids? Does it have the same impact on adults?

TV Details

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