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The Grizzly Man Diaries

(Rated TV-G, Reality TV, Starring Timothy Treadwell, Where to watch: Animal Planet)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 7.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Bear series is much tamer than Herzog docu.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 7 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    The show is a fascinating look at the social hierarchy of wild grizzly bears. It also examines Treadwell, an untrained naturalist who chose to spend much of his life living among the bears. The series raises plenty of questions about Treadwell's motivations and judgment.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    The series often shows wild animals hunting for food, a natural process that can sometimes be somewhat gruesome. Treadwell is in very close proximity to wild grizzly bears almost constantly, and the animals often seem as if they're trying to intimidate him. During such moments, it's hard to ignore the fact that -- if you know his story -- eventually he'll be attacked and killed by one of them.

  • Sexy stuff:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Some words are bleeped.

  • Consumerism:

    Treadwell has become something of a commodity since his death, as an author, photographer, and the subject of a Werner Herzog documentary and now this series. As such, the series serves to promote the Treadwell "brand."

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Grizzly Man Diaries

Parents need to know that this nature docuseries is far more kid-friendly than the feature-length documentary Grizzly Man. While that complex, provocative film delved into the life (and grisly death) of self-taught naturalist Timothy Treadwell, this series was put together almost exclusively from footage that Treadwell shot during the 13 summers he spent living among wild grizzly bears in Alaska. Animal-loving kids who don't know anything about Treadwell's eventual fate will be enthralled by the show's breathtaking images and Treadwell's ability to cultivate a relationship with the bears. That said, those who are familiar with what happened to Treadwell and his girlfriend may find that the knowledge flavors some of the images with a sense of dark foreboding.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about Treadwell's research methods. Was he wise, brave, or just foolish to spend so much time so close to wild bears? Parents, if the subject of Treadwell's eventual fate comes up, ask your kids whether they think what happened to him was inevitable. Also, do these amazing nature videos inspire you to be more conscious about wildlife conservation?
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