Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kids battle pirates in goofy, slapstick game show.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Swashbuckle
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
SWASHBUCKLE is a British game show that pits kids against a group of hapless pirates. Hosted by Gem (Gemma Hunt) and her parrot Squawk (Conor McNamara) at he Scarlet shipwreck, the series features Captain Sinker (Ella Kenion) and her shipmates Cook and Line (Joseph Elliott and Richard David-Caine) stealing and hiding Gem's five jewels. ) Four children play two rounds of games in order to win them back. They then get to hunt around the site of the shipwreck for the remaining ones. If they are successful, they get to make some or all three of the pirates walk the plank.
Is It Any Good?
This fun series combines quirky humor with simple game playing that kids can easily follow. Captain Sinker (and in later seasons Captain Captain (Jennie Dale) and HeyHo (Sophia Nomvete) is a bold character that inspires laughs instead of fear, and the pirates' overall antics, which lean towards slapstick, is designed to appeal to children. Despite some minor focus on counting (for example, the number of jewels found or lost), most of the show's educational value comes from learning how to play games and being good sports. But Swashbuckle is ultimately about presenting a low-key, low-stakes bit of fun for families.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about pirates. Why are they known for stealing treasure? What are some of the ways pirates are depicted on TV and film?
Swashbuckle is a game show, but can you learn any lessons from watching or playing it? Do you like competing and games?
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 6, 2013
- Cast : Gemma Hunt , Ella Kenion , Joseph Elliott
- Networks : Comcast Kid Central , CBeebies
- Genre : Game Shows
- Topics : Pirates
- Character Strengths : Perseverance , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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
Suggest an 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