Parents' Guide to

Pranked

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Online "joke" videos are often painful, mean-spirited.

TV MTV Reality TV 2009
Pranked 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 12+

Based on 1 parent review

Plague
Plague Parent
December 18, 2009
age 12+

Pranked

I was impressed with MTV when I first watched this show. Mostly because 90% of what airs on MTV is complete trash, but this show is actually funny.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

PRANKED highlights some of the Internet's most popular amateur online practical joke videos. Viewers watch as unsuspecting people are thrown into pools, chased away by fart spray, or flashed by naked college students. Watching the victims' reactions, which range from laughter to screaming in fear, pain, or anger, is also part of the "fun." Particularly dramatic moments are often replayed in slow motion while the show's hosts, The CollegeHumor Show's Amir Blumenfeld and Skeeter Seidel, offer witty banter.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (3):

Pranked offers little beyond showing off silly, potentially dangerous tricks intended to provoke a reaction from those being targeted. While some of the pranks seem to be done in the spirit of fun, others just seem plain mean. Worse, some of the victims actually get hurt.

Some kids may like watching stunts that seem to reflect the craziness of college life. But overall, most of the pranks featured here are pretty immature, and teens are much better off finding something else to do.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the appeal of online videos. Why do people post them? Is it to get attention? Become famous?

  • What is the difference between playing a harmless trick on someone and being mean? When does a practical joke go too far?

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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