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Parents' Guide to

Pitchmen

By Anne Louise Bannon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Secrets of the infomercial exposed; OK for older kids.

TV Discovery Channel Reality TV 2009
Pitchmen Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 1 parent review

scrublade
scrublade Adult
June 22, 2009
age 17+

COPIED PRODUCT!

This show says it features new inventions but what I have seen is it copies other peoples products and features them as there own. Not very good for business... The GATORBLADE is a full blown copy of the Scrublade that has been on the market for 4 years and is patent pending. Sully & Billy have known about this for a long time but have decided that there ratings are more important then there character. Put real inventors on the show not people that steal product and name them something different! How do you sleep at night "So CALLED INVENTOR?!"
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

But wait, there's more! In a way, PITCHMEN is, at its core, about how that iconic phrase has become a part of our cultural lexicon. Infomercial hosts Billy Mays and Anthony "Sully" Sullivan work with inventors of various odd products to make ads for the direct-order market. The series documents the process all the way from the inventor's pitch to how some of the products are made to how well they eventually do on the market.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

Pitchmen is suprisingly fun. While watching Mays and Sullivan bicker might get grating after an episode or two, the process is fascinating and the storytelling is clean and even funny at times. And there are lots of engaging interviews with the inventors.

While the hosts clearly relish their role in helping inventors make their dreams come true, they do place a lot of emphasis on products. That said, a lot of those products are designed to make people's lives better, and ultimately, that's what sells -- so it's a win-win situation, with or without a special bonus offer thrown in.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what this show teaches viewers about how products are marketed. What tactics do the hosts use? How does that affect your perception of the product they're demonstrating?

  • How are the techniques described here similar to and different from those used in more conventional advertising? Which has a stronger impact on you? Why?

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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