Overview
Most people know MythBusters as the fun, educational show from the early 2000s that does exactly what the name implies — take well-known myths and put them to the scientific test. The hosts, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, were both special effects experts for years before launching the show in 2003. With 14 seasons, 296 episodes, and multiple spin-off series, MythBusters is practically a household name.
But you may be wondering why this is a YouTube channel review — didn’t MythBusters air on TV? You’re correct! However, the MythBusters YouTube channel features full-length and short clip videos of its episodes and has tons of views and subscribers. So this is one channel you may already be familiar with and not be too concerned if your child stumbles upon it in their scrolling. But as is always good practice, we’ve laid out some details about the show’s content just in case.
Harmful Content ❗️
Generally speaking, MythBusters is a wholesome depiction of silly experiments that you’d feel comfortable playing in the living room with your kids around. However, every now and then there’s an episode that may not be suitable for all audiences. For instance, one episode tests the “beer goggles” myth, in which people believe that the more you drink alcohol, the more you’ll find others more attractive. The episode shows them going to a bar and getting “buzzed,” but their drunkenness is hardly excessive or overly inappropriate.
Language
Every now and then there is a swear word like “dammit” or “hell.” If there is anything worse, it’s bleeped, sometimes with a silly noise effect.
Sex
This show does not have any sexual content.
Violence
Some of the experiments on MythBusters are intense, potentially dangerous, and not safe to try at home. Sometimes there are also things such as explosions, gunfire, etc. However, it’s by no means considered a violent show — nobody is ever seriously hurt or injured. The show is light-hearted, and there’s certainly a team behind the scenes that ensures everyone’s safety.
Positive Value 💫
The first great thing about MythBusters is how fun it is to test well-known myths or ask wild questions and try to find the answer. Who wouldn’t want to see what happens when you try to put square wheels on a truck? And is it really possible to catch an arrow in mid-air like the ninjas do on TV?
The second great thing about the show is that there is definitely an educational side to it. For each experiment, the hosts use the scientific method to ensure their results are as accurate as possible. They implore methods such as control experiments, large test samples, and more. In the show, sometimes the myths are proven true and sometimes they are not. Either way, the hosts put an emphasis on finding out what is true, not just confirming what they want to be true. This teaches kids valuable critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
So, should my kid watch it?
Absolutely! MythBusters is a positive, educational show that is enjoyable and appropriate for most audiences. We’d say around ages 10 and up are old enough to watch and understand the show.
