Mud, Sweat, and Gears
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Fun car competition has cursing, innuendo.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Mud, Sweat, and Gears
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
BBC America's MUD, SWEAT, AND GEARS is a reality series featuring self-professed car-ologists Tom "Wookie" Ford and Jonny Smith as they work with teams of car enthusiasts to convert average, worn cars into ultimate racing machines. Each episode features two teams of car nuts building things such as the ultimate cop car and the ultimate demolition vehicle out of average, weathered vehicles in 24 hours. Once built, the two teams go head to head in three escalating missions to determine which car is more awesome. The winning team gets bragging rights, while the losing team gets their car annihilated.
Is It Any Good?
The humorously competitive car show combines auto design with the excitement of endurance racing and motocross. However, much of the fun comes from the hosts, whose playful banter keeps everything lighthearted.
There's some rivalry, but the challenges featured here are really just excuses for tricking out and driving souped-up vehicles as fast as possible on crazy obstacle courses. If this is your idea of a good time, you'll definitely enjoy watching.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about car competitions. What makes them popular? Is it the designer cars? Watching people drive them fast? Or watching the cars fall apart or blow up?
Why are men mostly featured on car shows? Do you think this portrayal is accurate? Or is it based on stereotypes about men and women?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 26, 2015
- Cast: Jonny Smith, Tom Ford
- Network: BBC America
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Cars and Trucks
- TV rating: NR
- Last updated: October 14, 2022
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.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Reality TV for the Whole Family
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