Parents' Guide to

Total Drama Revenge of the Island

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Witty reality satire continues with some stereotyping.

TV Cartoon Network Kids' Animation 2012
Total Drama Revenge of the Island Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 7 parent reviews

MrsSampo
MrsSampo Parent of 8 and 10-year-old
April 9, 2022
age 13+

Inappropriate on many levels

Disappointed that this is on kids Netflix in the uk. Totally inappropriate for children, swearing, sexual innuendos and jokes, homophobia, poor role models, portrays stereotypes, very rude characters, shows lack of respect. I’ve just watched 10 mins with my 8yo & 10yo and decided its not for them. Full of back-chat, sassy remarks and boob jokes, not the type of thing I feel is appropriate for their age group. Kids copy what they see on these kinds of programmes and because it is in cartoon format, they assume it’s appropriate. Probably more suited to teens who would understand the “satire” for what it is, unlike younger children who would imitate the behaviours they see as its portrayed in a positive light on these shows. Disappointed that shows like these can’t be blocked from kids Netflix.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Bubsy2
Bubsy2 Adult
September 3, 2020
age 10+

A great season

I loved this season. I think k it is even better than island
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The fourth installment in the Total Drama franchise, TOTAL DRAMA REVENGE OF THE ISLAND welcomes a new cast of 13 players to Camp Wawanakwa for a crack at the million-dollar prize. But to win, they must survive the hair-raising challenges designed by the egotistical and slightly maniacal host, Chris McLean (voiced by Christian Potenza). As if the unpredictably volcanic Mount Looming Tragedy and unseen booby traps around the island aren't enough to scare the contestants off, they must also contend with mutant creatures and toxic waste, since the place was left as a dump site when the show's first cast left it years ago. This year's contestants include naïve bubble boy Cameron (Kevin Duhaney), fake 'n' baker Anne Maria (Athena Karkanis), military cadet Brick (Jon Cor), paparazzi target Dakota (Carleigh Beverley), and the multiple personalities of well-intentioned Mike (Cory Doran).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (32 ):

Total Drama Revenge of the Island takes good-natured jabs at reality competitions in general and the long-running father of them all, Survivor, in particular. Viewers familiar with Survivor's format will get the most out of this very funny parody, from the cheery host who revels in the contestants' discomfort to the motley crew of fame-seeking cooks willing to do just about anything for the almighty dollar. From the on-again, off-again alliances among the contestants to the tense elimination rounds (marked by the delivery of a toxic marshmallow and a catapult expulsion from the island, of course), you'll find plenty of laughs on this island getaway.

That said, the fact that this show is a cartoon makes it easy to overlook content that's not appropriate for young kids. The one-dimensional characters perpetuate all kinds of racial and personality stereotypes, including a self-absorbed African-American guy and a big-hipped Hispanic girl who's consumed with vanity. There's some bathroom humor, sexual references (talk of "hooking up" and some euphemisms for genitalia), and marginal language to contend with, plus frequent manipulation, sabotage, and bad examples of team dynamics. A good rule of thumb? If your kids are too young for the actual reality shows, then they probably shouldn't be watching this parody, either.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the role of reality TV in entertainment. How "real" are reality contests like Fear Factor and The Amazing Race? Do some of these shows have better messages than others? What positive qualities (if any) can be gleaned from this type of content?

  • Tweens: What role do stereotypes play in comedy? Is it possible to totally eliminate stereotypes from TV shows or movies? Are there any cases in which stereotypes can be portrayed in a positive way?

  • How does competition teach us life lessons? What value exists in falling short of our goal? How does it feel to win? Why are sportsmanship and fair play important in competition?

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.

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