Cartoon reality show spoof has stereotypes, sexy stuff.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
Lots of innuendo, especially for show aimed at tweens. Comments about bodies are frequent and "I'd like a bunk under her"-style jokes mirror the shows it's satirizing, but are edgier in this context. One episode shows female character losing her bikini top briefly.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Most "violence" comes in form of dangerous challenges forced on teen contestants by supposed adult in charge, although characters do threaten one another, grab one another, throw one another out of doors, etc. -- never with any ill effect. No weapons.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
It's all meant to be taken as satire, but there's plenty of iffy behavior on display -- from mocking positive values to rudeness to poor sports conduct.
Positive Role Models
very little
Teen contestants can't trust their host or one another, are rude to one another, compete in unsportsmanlike ways, etc. -- but then, that's exactly the kind of behavior being satirized here. The characters are all pretty stereotypical (again, it's part of the humor).
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this animated series is meant for kids old enough to watch -- and appreciate -- a satire of reality shows like Survivor; those too young to get the joke likely won't find it very funny. There's a lot of sexual innuendo, especially in later seasons; characters hook up and one briefly loses her bikini top. Characters can be rude to each other, and, of course, they're often made to suffer indignities and ridiculously difficult and dangerous "challenges." It's on the edgy side for a kids' series, but older tweens and teens will enjoy what might be their first taste of satire.
I would say you should atleast be 13+ to watch this show,
Mainly because there is a scene where a character named "Heather" has her shirt flying off, so she becomes shirtless, although it is censored. Also i think in different seasons there is flashes just like that(they're censored too though), and sex jokes
What's with almost every rating being either 2+ or 18+?
Ok, I have to clarify that this is not a kids show nor is it an adult show. It is a teen show that's intended to be relatable. The teen characters act just like any real teens would. I'm sure we've all heard strong profanity or seen sexual encounters 5000x a day at school, so this show is actually tame by real life standards.
Anyway, I'm 18 and never watched the show before until this week, and now I'm absolutely hooked. It's obvious why I wasn't allowed to watch it as a kid, but from an older teen perspective it's great. The writing and dialog are top notch, the storylines are great, the characters are all unique and memorable, and the setting is amazing. This show is basically Survivor with raging hormones, and that's what makes it special.
POSITIVE MESSAGES: Not really the focus, but there are moments when the characters overcome differences and work together, stuff like that. But this isn't a show for kids so it doesn't need to be filled with life lessons.
VIOLENCE: Pretty frequent, but all comical. People get punched and hit with various objects in a very Looney Tunes fashion. There's only one instance of mild blood when the character Leshawna is scratched up after fighting alligators. The character Noah sarcastically pretends to commit suicide in multiple ways. There are also a large amount of "gross-out" moments where characters are forced to do revolting things (e.g. drink from a filthy toilet, lick someone's sweaty armpit, eat live insects, etc.) that result in them vomiting onscreen.
SEX: Again, this is a teen show, so it's not clean in this department. Nudity is shown, both male and female, but it is blurred out. Many female characters wear skimpy clothing, including bikinis. Some couples make out and there are talks of "hooking up." One lengthy scene involves the character Harold seeing the character Heather's breasts (which are shown but censored) and he spends a lot of time bragging about how he "saw boobies." Various other innuendos.
LANGUAGE: Tame but frequent. The Cartoon Network version removed most of the profanity standins, but the original version features repeated uses of words like crap, suck, and other similar words. A few instances of "hell." In the first episode, the character DJ says "Oh sh**" but it's bleeped out. In a later episode, the character Lindsay goes on a (also bleeped out) severely profane rant, and you can read a few of the words she says on her lips. Other various creative insults.
Overall, no this show is not appropriate for kids. There's a reason why it was shown at 9pm instead of during the daytime block. But if you're a teen yourself or are the parent of one who understands what it's like, then this is absolutely a must-watch. It's a very enjoyable show, one of the best shows I think I've ever watched.
What's the Story?
TOTAL DRAMA ISLAND is a cartoon satire of reality shows like Survivor. The intentionally one-dimensional teen characters are thrown together in a summer camp setting, then broken up into teams and presented with challenges by their host. At the end of most episodes, someone's voted out and sent home.
The best thing about Total Drama Island is that its knowing wink encompasses everyone -- viewers and characters alike. Many characters know that they're there to play their stereotypical roles (geek, tough kid, big sassy African American girl, etc.), and they do so with one eye on the camera. The joke isn't just on reality shows -- it's on reality shows as they've become now: populated with students of the genre who are all trying to game the system. The show's theme song, "I Wanna Be Famous," says it all.
For all its satiric qualities, Total Drama Island actually manages to pull viewers in. There's a contest at the core, and kids who tune in for the spoof may find themselves caught up in finding out which character will manage to survive to the end. Overall, it's an enjoyable, smart show for anyone old enough to watch "real" reality TV.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what aspects of reality shows this series is making fun of. Is it just the shows themselves, or also the way they're cast and created?
The characters are purposely presented as one-dimensional stereotypes -- because that's what producers of real reality shows often do to people through judicious editing. If someone only filmed and showed certain moments in your day, could they make you look mean or whiny? Why would someone want to focus on those parts of your character for a reality show?
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.
