Parents' Guide to

Owner's Manual

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Some dangerous stunts, collaboration in unique reality.

TV AMC Reality TV 2013
Owner's Manual Poster Image

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What's the Story?

OWNER'S MANUAL is a reality series starring HGTV's Hammerhead star Marcus Hunt and National Bingo Night host Ed Sanders as they combine their different approaches to life in order to accomplish advanced and potentially dangerous challenges. They're average guys who must quickly figure how to do above-average things, like fly stunt planes, drive off-road racing cars, and operate locomotives. But while Hunt studies rule books and owner's manuals to learn what to do, Sanders uses his instincts and street smarts to make it happen. They don't always agree on each other's strategies, but they have to find ways to collaborate if they have any hope of succeeding.

Is It Any Good?

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

From understanding how to keep from blacking out during G-force tests to flying stunt planes, the duo shows how their different ways of learning and solving problems can be used together to accomplish their goals. It also highlights how important it is for them to be able to communicate with one another, despite their different approaches.

Owner's Manual is not the most sophisticated of shows, but watching how the two handle various challenges -- most of which involve sophisticated and/or powerful machinery and technology -- is interesting. The competitive banter between the two might also elicit the occasional chuckle. But the messages it sends about working together are definitely positive.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the different ways people learn. Why do some people need to closely follow instructions when learning how to do something, while others seem to be able to figure it out on their own? Is one method better than the other?

  • What are some of the stereotypes about people who study or follow the rules all the time? Do shows like this one contribute to these generalizations? How folks who learn on the fly portrayed?

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.

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