Parents' Guide to

Survivorman

TV SCIENCE Reality TV 2005
Survivorman Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

By Lucy Maher , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 10+

Meet a real survivor; tweens and up.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 10+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Eshev
Eshev Adult
April 3, 2020
age 13+

Nudity

Its great for learning about survival but warning that in beginning of episode 1 season 1 it shows full nudity from behind (not frontal) ... not sure how much nudity appears in other episodes
brandon M.
brandon M. Adult
September 20, 2016
age 13+

The survivorman is a joke the first season says it all

I've Watched another show were the man has REAL LIFE tactical an real survival training . The man on surviver man is a fake the should've studied more before going out an making a show . watch the first season he tells the camera dozens of times he "read about this" or herd about it stating that before he starts a project . as well as admits and makes a lot of mistakes that a cub scout hand book displays . watch first season then at least compare to bear G and You'll see there's no comparison. The survivorman is a fraud and even gives up on a episode! an if you dig deeper on a few episodes he did it more then once over his own mistakes lack of education an was told to push forward with help like extra water an materials food and way to much more guys a joke! watch Bear G he is an practiced real survival an well educated
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In SURVIVORMAN, veteran outdoorsman Les Stroud films himself as he spends a week escaping the latest remote locale in which he's purposely stranded himself. In each episode, the affable Stroud is dropped by helicopter with only the clothes on his back, his camera equipment, and possibly an energy bar or a pack of gum (i.e. what regular hikers might have with them in a similar situation). Without food, water, or equipment, he must use his smarts and instinct to survive a week alone. This involves finding sustenance and shelter -- as well as traveling over rough terrain to safer ground.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (3 ):

Some of the situations Stroud finds himself in can be perilous, but he knows what he's doing, and most kids should be able to handle it. Ultimately, Survivorman has all the hallmarks of a good reality show, including a friendly host, suspenseful situations, and resolution by episode's end. But it goes a step further, teaching viewers about nature and how you can survive without the comforts of home. Parents looking for tween-friendly fare can feel good about tuning in.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about survival tactics. How can you get by for a week with no food or water? What about shelter? How do seemingly safe trips -- like camping or river rafting -- turn dangerous? Has there ever been a situation you wondered how you'd get out of? What did you do? Have you taken any training to prepare for dangerous situations (first aid, self-defense, wilderness training)? Would you like to? What would you do if you found yourself in one of the situations featured on the show?

TV Details

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