Parents' Guide to World's Most Wanted

World's Most Wanted Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Melissa Camacho By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

True-life international crime docu has violent imagery.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

What's the Story?

WORLD'S MOST WANTED profiles some of the world's most wanted criminals around the world. The series chronicles the atrocities allegedly committed by individuals like Irish-born Islamic militant Samantha Lewthwaite, aka the "White Widow"; businessperson Félicien Kabuga, who is accused of funding the genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda; gangsters like Matteo Messina Denaro and Semion Mogilevich; and Mexican drug lord Mayo Zambada. Interviews with members of government agencies like the DEA, the FBI, France's DGSE, and the U.K.'s MI6 discuss some of the ways that fugitives have been able to elude law enforcement over the years, and the cooperative efforts being made to take them into custody. They also discuss some of the mistakes that have allowed these individuals to remain free. Archival media footage, photographs, documents, and other audiovisual material help round out each narrative.

Is It Any Good?

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

This compelling series spotlights some of the more notorious individuals whose alleged criminal activities have made finding them an international priority. Reinforcing this is the footage of brutal attacks, bloody, mutilated corpses, and interviews with witnesses and survivors of terrorist attacks. Meanwhile, the painstaking efforts to find them are evidenced by the detailed, and sometimes slow, conversations about what has been done. But most of the people profiled here aren't as well known in the United States, which makes their stories feel fresh to U.S. audiences. If you like real-life crime stories, World's Most Wanted is worth tuning into.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the kind of work that goes into locating dangerous criminals around the world. What kinds of things do the law enforcement agents on World's Most Wanted do to find them? Does their job seem as adventurous or exciting as the way it seems on fictional crime shows or movies?

  • What is the purpose of telling the stories behind some of the world's most dangerous individuals? Is it for entertainment purposes? To justify the efforts of looking for them? Or to raise awareness and seek help from audiences?

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

World's Most Wanted Poster Image

What to Watch Next

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