Upbeat multi-generational game has brands, mild innuendo.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Products & Purchases
some
Popular songs, bands, celebrities, and items like Playstations are featured as part of the game (but not in a promotional context). Available grand prizes include KIA cars.
Violence & Scariness
very little
Occasional conversations are had about finding criminals and other career-related activities.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Pop culture and family are major themes. The generational differences between older and younger members of their families are highlighted, but the close relationships between the two are also noted.
Positive Role Models
some
The families appear very close. Kelly Ripa is fun but polite. Players have diverse hobbies, talents, and past career paths, some of which are inspirational.
Diverse Representations
a little
Contestants are male and female, and from various races/ethnicities. Many of the questions focus on White popular culture.
There's a lot of questions about popular culture, but minimal historical context or educational information is offered.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Generation Gap is a game show that features multi-generation families. Challenges focus on popular culture from different eras, and sometimes show images of edgy-looking famous people (sometimes in tight clothing). Adult contestants occasionally offer vague comments that some may find mildly suggestive (and that will fly over the heads of children), and their stories sometimes include narratives about stopping bad things from happening. Potential grand prizes include KIA cars and other brand-named items. But outside of this, there's nothing to be worried about here.
The questions are fun and it's entertaining to watch the generations struggle to answer the opposites' question. The show has some major problems though.
Each is individually asked a question. If they get it wrong, the other generation buzzes in to answer. The problem is, as long as you buzz first they're no penalties for not knowing the answer. The strategy becomes one sided because if get the buzzed answer wrong, the other team does not get a chance to solve and you don't lose any money. So the way to win if it gets to the buzzer is always buzz first.
Another issue is the insane amount of time given to answer after buzzing. There's no point to think about the answer first because they are given ample time to come up with something.
Overall, the show ends up bland and boring because there's no suspense and even less competition.
What's the Story?
Co-executive produced by Jimmy Kimmel, and hosted by Kelly Ripa, GENERATION GAP is a game show featuring kids and their family elders answering questions about each other's generation for a chance to win some cash. Each installment features two teams, each consisting of one preteen or teen, and one family senior, answering rounds of questions. The twist? The seniors are asked questions about things that the juniors would know, and vice versa. When someone answers a question correctly, money is put in the team's bank. But when a player gets it wrong, either player of the opposite generation can choose to answer it for half the amount. The family duo who banks the most cash after a series of rounds gets to keep it, and earns the opportunity for the youngest member of the extended family to choose a special grand prize.
The upbeat family-themed game show, which is a reboot of the 1969 series of the same name, highlights the differences between today's elders and kids when it comes to pop culture. The fun comes from watching contestants struggle over, and incorrectly answer, questions about actors, movie and TV characters, and songs from each other's generation. Kelly Ripa's banter, and appearances by special celebrity guests like Ryan Seacrest and Anderson Cooper, are meant to add to the fray. But the problem with Generation Gap is that it offers little beyond rounds of questions being asked and answered, making the 60-minute episodes feel too long and repetitive. Meanwhile, the majority of the questions require a knowledge of White mainstream popular culture, which makes it harder for players who are not part of that experience to answer questions correctly. But if you can get past these things, it won't be hard to watch.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about game shows. Why are they so popular? Do you have a favorite? Is there one that your family enjoys watching and playing together?
Generation Gap shows how family elders and juniors experience and enjoy different things thanks to their age differences. But what things do they have in common? How does this help them play the game?
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 Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
