TL;DR: Beast Games on Prime Video is the biggest reality show in history, but it’s been a bumpy ride for Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast). After a controversial first season, the Season 2 finale "Strong vs. Smart" just dropped, and while the production value is sky-high, the "win at all costs" vibe still raises eyebrows. If your kid is obsessed, it’s a great time to talk about the difference between entertainment and reality.
Quick Links for the "Beast Games" Era:
- The Show: Beast Games (Prime Video)
- The Source: MrBeast YouTube Channel
- Better Competition Shows: The Amazing Race, Survivor, LEGO Masters
- Strategy Games for Kids: Civilization VI, Stardew Valley
If you’ve been living in a beautiful, screen-free cabin for the last two years, here’s the deal: MrBeast, the world’s biggest YouTuber, graduated from 15-minute viral stunts to a massive, $100 million production deal with Amazon Prime Video.
Beast Games features 1,000 contestants competing for a $5 million prize—the largest single prize in TV history. It’s essentially a real-life version of Squid Game (minus the actual death, obviously), filled with massive physical sets, psychological endurance tests, and the kind of high-octane editing that keeps kids glued to the screen.
Season 2 just concluded with the "Strong vs. Smart" finale, which pitted traditional "jock" archetypes against "nerd" archetypes in a series of complex puzzles and physical gauntlets. It’s been the #1 show on Prime for weeks, meaning your kids—and everyone in their class—are likely talking about who "deserved" the $5 million.
It’s the ultimate "what if?" scenario. Every kid imagines what they would do with $5 million. MrBeast has mastered the art of "spectacle" media. It’s loud, it’s fast, and it feels like anything could happen.
For kids, Beast Games is more than a show; it’s a cultural event. It’s the Super Bowl of the YouTube generation. The "Strong vs. Smart" dynamic in the Season 2 finale specifically tapped into school-yard politics, making it highly relatable for the middle school crowd.
The finale was designed to be a social experiment. By separating contestants based on physical prowess versus cognitive ability, the show created an "us vs. them" narrative that was incredibly effective at driving engagement.
However, as a parent, it’s worth noting that the "Smart" team often had to use deception and social manipulation to keep up with the "Strong" team’s physical dominance. It makes for "great" TV, but it also reinforces some pretty cynical ideas about how to get ahead. If your kid is watching, it’s worth asking: Is winning a game more important than being a good person?
Learn more about navigating competitive media with your kids
We can't talk about Beast Games without addressing the controversies that have plagued the production since Season 1.
Reports of inadequate food, delayed medication for contestants, and unsafe filming conditions led to several lawsuits. While Amazon and the Beast team clearly poured more resources into safety and logistics for Season 2, the show still pushes human beings to their absolute physical and emotional limits for the sake of "content."
For intentional parents, this is the "No-BS" part: MrBeast is a genius at engagement, but his brand of "philanthropic" entertainment often blurs the line between helping people and exploiting them for views. Season 2 felt more professional, but the core engine—watching people suffer slightly for a chance at life-changing money—is still there.
If you feel like Beast Games is a bit too much "content factory" and not enough "substance," there are plenty of shows and games that offer competition without the toxic edge.
Ages 8+ This remains the gold standard for competition shows. It highlights teamwork, cultural awareness, and problem-solving across the globe. It’s exciting without being exploitative.
Ages 6+ If you want to see "Smart" in action without the "Strong" team trying to tackle them, this is it. It’s pure creativity and engineering.
Ages 7+ Instead of watching people fight over money, let your kids build something. Stardew Valley teaches resource management, community building, and patience—the literal opposite of the MrBeast "instant gratification" loop.
Ages 10+ If your kid loved the "Smart" team’s puzzle-solving in the finale, this game is the ultimate playground for physics-based problem solving. It rewards "Smart" in a way that feels genuinely earned.
While Beast Games is rated TV-14, the reality is that 8-year-olds are watching it.
- Under 10: I’d skip it. The pacing is designed to hijack dopamine receptors, and the "Strong vs. Smart" conflict can be a bit too intense/cynical for younger kids.
- Ages 10-13: Co-viewing is key. This is the prime age for MrBeast fandom. Talk about the editing—how the music makes things feel more dangerous than they are, and how the "characters" are often edited to look like villains or heroes.
- Ages 14+: They’re going to watch it. Use it as a springboard to talk about the "Creator Economy" and the ethics of high-stakes reality TV.
Check out our guide on the "MrBeast effect" on kid's attention spans
The biggest takeaway from the Season 2 finale isn't who won the $5 million. It’s the shift in how our kids consume "TV."
Beast Games is the final proof that the "YouTube style"—fast cuts, high stakes, constant stimulation—has officially taken over mainstream media. If your kid seems bored by a "normal" movie like The Wild Robot or a classic like The Goonies, it’s likely because their "boredom threshold" has been recalibrated by creators like MrBeast.
How to talk about it:
- "Do you think the contestants were actually in danger?" (Discusses production vs. reality).
- "Why did the 'Smart' team feel they had to lie to win?" (Discusses ethics in competition).
- "What would you actually do with $5 million? How much would you give away?" (Turns the spectacle into a values conversation).
Beast Games is a technical marvel and a cultural juggernaut. It’s not "evil," but it is "junk food" media—high in calories (excitement) but low in nutrients (emotional depth or educational value).
In 2026, we can't really block our kids from the MrBeast universe without them feeling like social outcasts. What we can do is be the "commentary track" in their lives. Watch the finale with them, point out the absurdity, laugh at the over-the-top drama, and then maybe suggest a round of Catan or a session of Minecraft where the stakes are a little more human.