The Incredible Dr. Pol

Scenes aren't violent, but cameras follow Dr. Pol as he performs surgical procedures on animals large and small, so there's a good deal of blood and close-up views of draining abscesses, cuts, prolapsed organs, and a host of other maladies. Many of the scenarios are life and death for the animals, and the farmers and doctors talk frankly about the patients' chances for survival. Animals are shown in pain and frightened. Sensitive areas are blurred by the camera, as when the doctor forces a bulging uterus back through a cow's vagina.

Parents need to know that The Incredible Dr. Pol is a reality series that follows a veterinarian on routine exams and emergency farm calls, and cameras capture the dramatic moments as he works to save the lives of animals of all shapes and sizes. Although the changing nature of the content makes it hard to predict its appropriateness for younger viewers, you can expect a fair amount of blood and other bodily fluids as doctors work to save animals teetering between life and death due to illness or injury. This is a real know-your-kid situation, since many of the medical procedures (draining abscesses, sewing stomachs to the inside of a belly, and anesthetizing an aggressive animal, for instance) may confuse and potentially frighten youngsters who aren't familiar with them, but if this is part of your family's culture (through farming, for instance), it won't have the same effect. If your kids can handle the content, though, this is a great series you can both enjoy, and there are quality messages about the rewards of hard work, respectful living, and fostering good relationships.