Treehouse Masters
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Treehouse-building business is mild fun for families.
Add rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
Where to Watch
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Interesting Show
Report this review
What's the Story?
TREEHOUSE MASTERS is a reality series featuring Pete Nelson, a master treehouse builder, who travels around the country building and repairing all sorts of treehouse structures. The Fall City, Wash., resident works with clients who are looking to branch out beyond their living spaces, or want fun guest houses, recreational areas, or structures that are just plain unique. The sky is the limit, and with the help of his posse, including his foreman Daryl, and his carpenters, including his son Charlie, he designs and builds treehouses outfitted with game rooms, bars, porches, and even full kitchens and bathrooms. He also works with clients to repair and restore rustic treehouses located in extreme locations, like high up in the sky or near the edges of alligator-infested bayous. It's a lot of work, but with Nelson's energy and endless imagination, they always manage to build something amazing.
Is It Any Good?
Treehouse Masters highlights the process by which the unique treehouses that Nelson's company is known for are built, which includes scouting for trees that can support the structure, and understanding how they will grow and become part of the house and make it stronger. It also highlights how important it is to respect the trees as living, breathing things, and how they must work with them in order to create a healthy, organic structure.
Most of the episodes focus on how the houses are built, as well as the various unique touches that are added to them to make them more appealing. But Nelson's quirky humor and obvious excitement about what he does makes the show genuinely fun to watch. Viewers who tune in might even find themselves thinking about their own childhood treehouses, while others may find themselves fantasizing about having one of these spectacular treehouses in their own back yard.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the culture surrounding treehouses. Where did the art of building treehouses come from? Why are they often viewed as spaces for boys or men? Parents: Did you have a treehouse growing up? Kids: Do you have one now? What kinds of activities are associated with them?
Over the years there have been lots of TV shows and films that feature scenes in treehouses. Can you list some of them? What kind of activities take place in them?
Reality shows are often used as ways of promoting goods and services. What are some of the ways that parents can help kids enjoy these kinds of TV shows while helping them become more aware of how they are being targeted by advertisers?
TV Details
- Premiere date: May 31, 2013
- Cast: Charlie Nelson , Judy Nelson , Pete Nelson
- Network: Animal Planet
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Science and Nature
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
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.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
STEM: Apps, TV, and More for Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math
Environmental TV Shows
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