Both stereotypes and positive lessons in rural reality show.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a little
No overt violence. Characters buy animals from country fairs where the animals are kept in small stalls, and there's some strong handling of animals during these events that might make some kids uncomfortable. The scenes do quickly cut away. Characters use ropes to manage animals like cows, sheep, and dogs, and syringes to vaccinate them. Adult characters sometimes face potentially dangerous situations while building or fixing machinery. There's one small scare when a character falls off at a construction site, but he's wearing a harness and recovers quickly.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Mild profanity such as "sucker," "damn," "heck," "oh, jeez," "butt," and "shoot" (as a substitute for "s--t"). Words like "nuts" and "lummox" are also used. Some jokes use stereotypes, like linking farmers with Christianity, or hard work with a certain body shape.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Family buys animals at auctions where the prices are high.
Educational Value
some
Even without formal lessons, viewers learn about planning and carrying out ideas. When it comes to farming, they see what animals can live on a farm, what they need for care, their environment, and equipment. They also learn about our relationship with nature, seasonal changes, and adaptability.
Positive Messages
some
Episodes show many positive examples of perseverance. Things don't always work out but you should keep trying. It's OK to ask for help. You can find joy even in tough situations. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, and that's what makes a great team.
Positive Role Models
a little
The Pol family are animal lovers who want to share that passion with their kids. Dr. Pol is kind and knows a lot; he wants his son to do well. Charles wants to make his dad proud and values his dad's experience. The family supports each other, even during challenges. One character does repeatedly tease another on their appearance and physical abilities.
Diverse Representations
very little
The Pol family is White and there's little racial diversity around them. Men are mainly involved in building the farm and purchasing livestock, while women are more often shown looking after kids or handling less physical tasks, like training the dog or managing bees. Jan Pol is Dutch American and often talks about his childhood on a farm in the Netherlands. The show portrays intergenerational relationships positively. Charles Pol and his brother-in-law, Ben, have a warm and loving relationship despite some sibling-like teasing. Ben often teases Charles' linking his body shape with lack of physical activity and calling intense tasks "Farm Fit."
Parents need to know that The Incredible Pol Farm is a spin-off The Incredible Dr. Polreality show, but instead of focusing on the veterinarian, it follows Dr. Pol's son, Charles Pol, and his brother-in-law, Ben Reinhold, as they build a farm in the family's backyard. The show offers a behind-the-scenes look at farming, from preparing land to buying sheep. While the family has big dreams, they don't always go as planned. The show highlights their perseverance and ability to turn setbacks into successes. Despite its positive messages about family and teamwork, the show lacks diversity and, occasionally, reinforces stereotypes about the role of men and women, or associating hard work with a toned body. It includes mild language like "sucker," "damn," and "shoot" (as a substitute for "s--t"). While there's no violence, some animal handling may upset more sensitive kids. It may be a "know-your-kid" type of situation, but it's generally okay family entertainment.
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What's the Story?
In THE INCREDIBLE POL FARM, veterinarian Jan Pol's son, Charles Pol, and his brother-in-law, Ben Reinhold, invite viewers behind the scenes as they transform undeveloped land into a recreational farm. The series follows their planning, successes, and setbacks under the guidance and experience of Dr. Pol.
While this reality series is not aimed at kids, it can still pique children's curiosity about rural life and farm living, regardless of whether that's their reality. The Incredible Pol Farm gives viewers a peek into animal care and daily farm tasks, all handled by a close-knit family. It's important to note that the situations portrayed on the show are specific to the Pol family's farming experience and may represent a privileged way of life. In general, if your child is interested in this title, they probably have a keen interest in farms or looking after animals. The show does a great job at illustrating how things don't always go perfectly with both, and that hard work is usually rewarded.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the challenges in The Incredible Pol Farm. What are some of the projects the Pol family takes on? What steps they follow to achieve their goal? Call attention to what doesn't go according to plan and how they turn things around.
The Pols live in the rural side of Michigan. How do you think living on a farm is different from living in the big city? Have you experienced life in a rural area or a city? What was it like? How would you describe your hometown to someone who was never been there?
In the show, men often do more physical tasks while women take care of the kids. What do you think about these roles? Do you think they are fair? Do you think physical strength is always necessary for these tasks?
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.
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.
By Fernanda Camargo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
