Parents' Guide to

PrankStars

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Disney celebs surprise fans in funny hidden-camera show.

TV Disney Channel Comedy 2011
PrankStars Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 9+

Based on 4 parent reviews

Pointy-a-parent
Pointy-a-parent Adult
December 17, 2013
age 10+

For skeptical parents, both with positive and negative points

Hi Families, Pointy Here. I have watched this TV show and there really isn't anything wrong with it. 1) It's not a real TV show, more like a realty show or a game show. Disney stars pose a normal people or are disguised while they interact with their biggest fan. Hints the name Prank star. 2) The only thing you might want to watch out for is what the star (celebrity) stands for. 3) Some positive reasons why to watch it? Well if your child likes a certain Disney star this is a way to find out the true person. If you don't like Disney Channel or Disney XD then you might want to watch the episodes before hand and decide if you want your child to take the chance of being influenced by these people, but this G rated show is very safe. I personally don't care for what Disney Channel and Disney XD provide their viewers. Though some of their shows are good. For more Reviews like this one look for my name at the top or bottom of the review for whatever movie, book or TV show you are looking up. ~Pointy

This title has:

Great messages
lnxsn
lnxsn Adult
November 7, 2011
age 8+

Prank stars

it builds relationships between children and parents

This title has:

Great role models
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In PRANKSTARS, Disney celebs like Selena Gomez and Debby Ryan surprise some of their biggest fans after enlisting the help of the subjects' families and the show's host, Mitchel Musso. Each episode features three set-ups, each one pairing an unsuspecting tween or teen victim with his or her favorite star in an off-the-wall scenario. Musso dictates the actors' moves from a hidden room where he and the subjects' family members watch the victim squirm as the events unfold ... until the big reveal that brings the fans face-to-face with their TV favorites on real terms.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (23 ):

Disney fans will jump at the chance to see some of their favorite actors in this slightly less-scripted light, and the stars themselves seem to enjoy getting in on the action when it comes to pranking their admirers. From the outside, it seems impossible that the victims would fall for the outlandish set-ups they're forced into (hand-feeding their favorite actors or wearing ridiculous accessories that a star is said to like, for instance), and it does speak to the power of celebrity persuasion, even though it's all in jest within this show.

There's no denying that this mostly harmless show is meant solely to entertain (which it does well), but it's worth noting that the series' humor comes at the expense of the unsuspecting victims, who are put in pretty uncomfortable situations. The fact that they're good sports about it and usually wind up laughing at themselves helps lighten the mood, but don't miss the opportunity to talk to your kids about how it feels to be the brunt of a joke and the difference between laughing with someone and laughing at them.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about being sensitive to others' feelings. How does it feel to be put in an uncomfortable situation? Do you like being the center of attention? How do you know when a joke has been taken too far?

  • Do you think the subjects would feel differently about what they were subjected to if it didn't involve a celebrity? How would you feel if your family volunteered you for something like this? Would you have gone along with what the celeb asked?

  • Who are some of your favorite celebrities? Would you consider them role models? Why or why not? What do you know about their off-screen behavior? Does the media cast them in a positive or negative light?

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

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