Parents' Guide to

Wicked Tuna: North vs. South

TV National Geographic Channel Reality TV 2014
Wicked Tuna: North vs. South Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

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

age 14+

Fishing spin-off has lots of gritty guys, salty language.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Wicked Tuna: North vs. South : Scene #1
  • Wicked Tuna: North vs. South : Scene #2
  • Wicked Tuna: North vs. South : Scene #3

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Tenebrae
Tenebrae Adult
April 5, 2020
age 9+

It's not that bad

So the first season is okay, there is a bit of name calling but the seasons after are pretty good. Only the first season is called North vs South, it's renamed and is now called Outer Banks since. One thing to note, is the Southern captains there often tell the others if they spot a fish. Some of the Northern captains have picked up and done this as well. However some don't and this does create some conflict. Whatever swearing is on there is bleeped out.
Jhorn
Jhorn Adult
September 8, 2019
age 5+

It stinks

See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The reality spin-off WICKED TUNA: NORTH VS. SOUTH features some of Gloucester, Massachusetts', top fisherman who have traveled to the American South to fish for blue fin tuna. Captain Dave Marciano of the Hard Merchandise; TJ Ott, captain of the Hot Tuna; and Paul Hebert, co-captain of the Pin Wheel navigate south to the outer banks of North Carolina to see if they can make up for some of the losses they incurred during the northern fishing season. The southern waters become a battle zone as the experienced local fishermen, including Captain Reed Meredith of the Whahoo, Captain Britton Shackelford of the Doghouse, and the Fishin' Frenzy's captain, Greg Mayer, do everything they can to push the Northerners out of their waters while fishing for the majority of the 23-ton (approximately 200-fish) quota imposed on them by the local industry. The southern captains show off their expertise, but the Gloucester teams show that, although they have a lot to learn, they're still a force to be reckoned with.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

The Wicked Tuna spin-off follows the same formula of the original series, which includes showing captains and their crews baiting, hooking, reeling in, and selling blue fins for a premium. It also introduces some of the southern region's fishing captains, who have as much talent and competitive spirit as their colleagues from the North.

A lot of attention is paid to the region's important, but limiting, sustainable fishing practices that make tuna fishing challenging. Meanwhile, the competitiveness among the captains gets to be a little much at times. But folks who like fishing, and fans of the original show, will definitely find this worth watching.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the popularity of hunting and fishing shows on TV. What is it about these activities that make them interesting to viewers? What are some of the controversies surrounding them? Do reality shows such as this one offer an accurate view of what these activities are like? Or is there an effort to make them seem more interesting to appeal to larger audiences?

TV Details

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