Parents' Guide to

Naked and Afraid

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Survivalist challenge reveals teamwork ... and nude bottoms.

TV Discovery Channel Reality TV 2013
Naked and Afraid Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 11+

Based on 19 parent reviews

Dadybug
Dadybug Adult
June 6, 2021
age 5+

On the fence

I like the show. I also watch the last Alaskans, to compare each is where I am on the fence on Naked and Afraid. They are killing animals for a T.V. reality show. there was a show where one of the guys caught a large animal and the next day they would leave. Ok so what happens to all that meat? it just sits there and rots? So thats my rave about the show. We know there are families that have to kill to survive but they also take the meat and freeze it after cleaning it to have all winter. this show not so
Scarecrow13
Scarecrow13 Adult
May 19, 2021
age 7+

Gimmicky but enjoyable

It is a reality show. It is kind of like survivor. However a couple have to survive naked. However the nudity is censored and there aren't too many things objectionable to kids, but occasionally something unexpected might happen.
See all 19 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The reality documentary series NAKED AND AFRAID features men and women who are complete strangers attempting to survive 21 days together in some of the world's most extreme natural environments without food, water, or clothes. Each episode features an experienced male and female survivalist who have been voluntarily dropped off in a remote area of the world, followed only by a small camera crew who are not to interact with them unless a medical need arises. After the duo meets and picks up a primitive map, hand-held camera, and the one object they've each chosen to bring with them on the journey, they must proceed to work together to find a place near a water source to camp and hunt and gather food. They must also find ways to keep themselves protected from the elements, as well as the wide variety of dangerous living organisms -- including lethally venomous snakes and angry howler monkeys. After 21 days of living together in the wild, they must make the difficult journey to the pick-up point. Once their experience is over, viewers are given information about whether or not their primitive survival ratings (PSRs), which were assigned to them before their adventure began, have improved as a result of their experience.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (19):
Kids say (15):

From trying to stay warm in perpetually wet weather to not eating a single thing for five days due to lack of food, the survivalists push themselves as far as they ever thought they could during their primitive 21-day adventure. Significantly adding to the challenge is finding ways to communicate effectively, work together, and reconcile their personality differences in order to remain physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of making it to the end. But while this creates some tense moments, most of the show's focus is on the drama created by their natural surroundings.

Naked and Afraid sometimes feels like an odd laboratory experiment as we watch these folks develop a kind of forced relationship while losing large amounts of weight, getting sick, and reacting out of desperation thanks to becoming more hungry, hot, cold, and exhausted with each passing day. The fact that they are naked throughout the experience only underscores how vulnerable they really are in their surroundings. It's more voyeuristic than educational, but it still offers some important lessons about the kinds of things that can help you survive the wild.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about survivalists. What drives people to live in the wild or trek across remote regions of the world? Where do they get their training in order to do this? What do you think motivates the participants of this show?

  • Are shows like this one meant to be educational or entertaining? What can people learn from them? How realistic is it to think that people without survivalist training could survive in harsh outdoor living conditions with minimal resources?

  • Why do you think the producers chose to make the participants naked?

  • Who are some of the most famous wilderness explorers and survivalists portrayed in TV and films over the years? What special skills do they have?

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

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

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