Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lightweight pop culture arguments are feisty but fun.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
An ever-changing roster of comedians and low-level celebrities (including Hulk Hogan and Wil Wheaton) weigh the merits of competing pop culture references in THE GREAT DEBATE, a series of one-hour specials airing on VH1 that's similar in format to the network's Best Week Ever. The panel specializes in not-so-burning questions like "Who's the hotter Simspon sister: Jessica or Ashlee?" and "The Snuggie: Genius or not?"
Is It Any Good?
While it's true that spirited debates like these won't change the world (can't Alf and E.T. both be awesome aliens?), they can be a lot of fun to watch for adults and older teens -- particularly those born early enough to get some of the kitschier references. It's not the funniest play on pop culture VH1 has to offer, and the boxing match-style announcer is kind of annoying. But if you're craving some easily digestible entertainment, this will do in a pinch.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the show's kid-friendlier topics, including "Kittens vs. Puppies," "Alf vs. E.T.," and "Cabbage Patch Kids vs. Tickle-Me Elmo." Do moms and dads tend to agree or disagree with their kids' opinions when it comes to pop culture?
Families can also discuss how the celebrities mentioned in these debates measure up when it comes to role modeling. Do we tend to find celebrity news more or less entertaining when it involves a degree of negative behavior? Why?
And, for fun, kids and parents can each think of other topics to debate at the dinner table. When you're done talking, you can vote on who picked the liveliest topic.
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 6, 2009
- Cast : Bobby D. Freeman
- Network : VH1
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 21, 2022
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