Parents' Guide to

Undercover Boss: Abroad

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Corporate spy reality spin-off is mild and positive.

TV OWN, TLC Reality TV 2012
Undercover Boss: Abroad Poster Image

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What's the Story?

UNDERCOVER BOSS: ABROAD follows executives of major corporations around the world as they go undercover to get a first-hand look at what is keeping their companies from reaching their full-potential. The reality series spinoff features CEOs from companies like Best Western Hotels and Domino's Pizza disguising themselves and working at entry-level positions in various branches and departments of their company. While there, they learn more about how their corporate policies are impacting the business, as well as the people who are working for them. After a week or two of working incognito, the CEO then reveals herself to the unsuspecting people she met during the week, and shares her observations about what she learned from them.

Is It Any Good?

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Each episode, which is imported from the British and Australian versions of the Undercover Boss franchise, offers a voyeuristic opportunity to watch CEOs discover some of the flaws in their corporate policies while learning about some of the day-to-day struggles their employees face to keep things running in a struggling economy. But much of the show is committed to highlighting the stories of specific workers, whose hard work for the company has gone mostly unrecognized.

One can't help but suspect that the CEO is purposely introduced to people and/or situations to create an entertaining show. You also can't help but wonder how inspired some of the executives remain after the cameras are turned off. Nonetheless, it succeeds in highlighting the importance of bridging the gap between executives and the people who make the companies run at the most basic level.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the media portrays people working in the corporate environment vs. those who work in lower-level positions. What are some of the stereotypes associated with each? How do the representations of these positions differ in other countries?

  • Do you think that what the CEOs are doing here is ethical? If it leads to positive changes, do the ends justify the means? Are there ways to find out the same information without lying or being sneaky?

TV Details

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