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Wild at Heart

(Rated TV-PG, Drama, Starring Stephen Tompkinson, Amanda Holden, Lucy-Jo Hudson, Where to watch: BBC America, DVD)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 9, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 12.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    UK family drama features tense animal encounters.

updated 02.09.09

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 12–13

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    A newly blended family struggles for cohesion. Both parents are devoted to creating a positive atmosphere for their kids, but the difficulties wear on them at times, and the dad especially shows frustration. In one scene, a boy takes a tranquilizer gun to school to wield at bullies who are tormenting him, and he suffers nearly no repercussions. A teenage girl makes an obscene hand gesture at her stepmom.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    The series centers on an animal hospital, so scenes of injured, bloody animals are common. Guns are also prevalent: Adults carry shotguns for protection in the wild, and the veterinarian uses a tranquilizer gun to sedate animals. In one scene, a boy draws a tranquilizer gun on bullies at school; in another, he shoots at hyenas killing a monkey.
  • Sex:

    In one scene, a woman tells a man that hunting wild animals implies that he's compensating for a small penis.
  • Language:

    "Hell," "ass," and "s--t" (unbleeped) are used intermittently.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    A supporting character often drinks alcohol and beer at the end of the day.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Wild at Heart

Parents need to know that this British show's adult characters often carry shotguns for protection from wild animals, and hunters occasionally shoot and kill wildlife for sport. A veterinarian uses a tranquilizer gun to sedate injured animals from afar, and their injuries (bone breaks, puncture wounds, etc.) are shown up close. A young boy also uses the weapons -- in one case, he opens fire on hyenas that are trying to kill a monkey; in another, he draws a tranquilizer gun on school bullies. The parents' attempts to create harmony in a newly blended family is an ongoing theme of the series. Violence and tense encounters with wild animals make this one iffy for young tweens.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about guns and gun violence. Teens: What are your feelings about gun ownership? What are the pros and cons of allowing citizens to have guns? Does your family own firearms? Who has access to them? Do you feel safer or less safe with them around? How does the media affect your feelings on this issue? Does TV violence help create a violent society? Families can also discuss the Trevanions' attempts to blend their family -- is this a realistic depiction of stepfamilies?
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