Parents' Guide to

Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Celeb competition series is surprisingly positive.

TV CMT Reality TV 2007
Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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What's the Story?

TY MURRAY'S CELEBRITY BULL RIDING CHALLENGE is a fantasy boot camp of the most extreme kind. The all-male cast includes actors, athletes, and musicians -- from NFL great Raghib \"Rocket\" Ismail and freestyle motocross champ \"Cowboy\" Kenny Bartram (who, despite his nickname, has never so much as touched a bull) to actor Stephen Baldwin and rapper Vanilla Ice. They converge at the Texas home of seven-time All-Around World Bull Riding Champ Ty Murray where, over the course of 10 days, Murray and other pros teach them the basics of riding -- and protecting themselves from -- their menacing mounts. Those who cut the mustard during training will face the ultimate challenge: a trip to Nashville, where they'll participate in a professional bull riding competition.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

You might think this all smacks of the same stuff as so many other star-studded reality TV predecessors, but this show differs in a few key ways. First, it's not a competition in the elimination sense; no one goes home until the Nashville contest. Instead, the focus is on improving skills and gaining confidence in a new endeavor. This greatly reduces the amount of trash talking among the nine riding newbies and encourages them to support each other's efforts, which gives the show a more positive vibe.

Also central is the show's emphasis on safety; Murray and his cohorts are passionate about teaching their charges the basics that could very well save their lives once they enter the arena. The added bonus is that viewers learn a lot about this extreme sport, too. All in all, the show is a pleasant surprise among its reality peers. Just know that since red-letter language is prevalent (the strongest words are bleeped), it's best for older tweens and teens.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what draws marginally famous celebrities to participate in shows like this. Are they hoping to parlay their TV appearances into something bigger? Do they crave attention? How is this series different from other "celebreality" shows? What do viewers like so much about reality shows in general? How "real" are they? Kids: Do you like reality TV? Why? If you created a reality show, what would it be?

TV Details

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