Parents' Guide to

Stranger Among Bears

By Anne Louise Bannon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Tame series isn't that exciting for a show about bears.

TV Animal Planet Reality TV 2009
Stranger Among Bears Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

freida
freida Adult
August 3, 2020
age 10+

Stranger Among Bears Should Be Viewed

I laughed through most of the documentary as Charlie does everything we've ever been told not to do and it all turns out beautifully. The bears are so much fun to watch and Charlie clearly has a gift in relating to and winning the respect of the bears. My favorite documentary.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Retired schoolteacher Charlie Vandergaw has been going out to his remote cabin in Alaska every summer for the past 20 years to live and interract with the local bear population. It's a controversial visit, since Alaskan state officials -- in an effort to stem the increasing number of bear attacks in the state -- have made it a crime to feed the animals. But Vandergaw, who loves petting and playing with the wild animals, doesn't believe that he's doing anything wrong.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Aside from the fact that Vandergaw clearly knows how to handle bears, there's not too much to be learned about bears and their behavior from STRANGER AMONG BEARS. And while there are moments of excitement and interest -- such as when some hunters trespass on Vandergaw's land, and he chews them out and then befriends them -- the show is mostly pictures of Vandergaw hanging out with bears.

Ultimately, it's all a tad dull. Not overwhelmingly dull -- just dull enough for a third-grader to get antsy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what they think the show's goal is. Is it to educate viewers about bears? If so, is it successful? If not, what do you think the producers hope viewers take away from watching? Families can also talk about how shows like this are made. Do you think all of the footage is filmed in order? If not, how does editing things change the story, even for reality shows?

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.

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