• Is it age appropriate?

  About our ratings

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  Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 13.

• Is it any good?

  3.0

• Common Sense says

  Scary devices reveal the dark side of history.

Why We Rated This for Ages 13–15

The good stuff

• Messages:

  While there's some teaching here, much of the show's focus is on highlighting the painful, gruesome impact that historical devices had on people. The team is male and Caucasian; occasionally a female administrative assistant participates in some of the experiments.

What to watch out for

• Violence:

  Lots of discussions about and demonstrations of how devices were used to torture, punish, and/or kill people. Lots of fake blood and gore, including gruesome re-creations of the injuries incurred. Some of the design team members are shown using swords and other devices to "kill" mannequins after they're used in experiments.
• Sex:

  Historical illustrations occasionally show people being tortured in various stages of undress; bare breasts are sometimes seen. These images aren't sexual and are shown in a historical context. One of the devices studied is the chastity belt.
• Language:

  Words like "ass," "hell," and "brass balls" are audible, while curse words like "f--k" are bleeped out.
• Consumerism:

  Prominently features The Scare Factory company; many of their scary re-creations are visible throughout the factory floor.
• Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

  Not an issue.

What Parents Need to Know

About Surviving History

Families Can Talk About