The Challenge

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

show1998

42%

WISE Score

MTV's long-running reality gauntlet where former reality stars scream, drink, and compete in brutal physical challenges for cash.

The Challenge

show

TV-14, 1998

42%

WISE Score

MTV's long-running reality gauntlet where former reality stars scream, drink, and compete in brutal physical challenges for cash.

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, The Challenge is reality TV junk food. It's been running for decades because people love watching attractive humans yell at each other and then dangle from helicopters. The physical competitions are legitimately impressive, and there's strategic gameplay that can be fun to follow.

But let's be real: this is not quality television. It's drinking, hookups, screaming matches, and occasionally someone gets hurt doing something ridiculous. If you have a 15+ teen who's into reality competition shows and you're okay with them seeing adult behavior (both good and terrible), it's fine. Just know you're signing up for MTV's particular brand of chaos.

The show works best as a watch-together-and-discuss situation where you can point out the nonsense and talk about better ways to handle conflict. Left unsupervised, younger teens might think this is how adults actually behave. Spoiler: it's not. Or at least, it shouldn't be.

Age Fit

Best for 15+ who can handle reality TV's messier side—think older high schoolers who won't immediately copy the behavior. The early seasons might be slightly tamer for 13-14 year olds, but later seasons ramp up the adult content significantly.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Fighting, screaming matches, heavy drinking, smoking, and relentless trash-talking are standard fare. The show thrives on interpersonal drama and conflict rather than cooperation or kindness. While competition can be healthy, the tone here is aggressive and often toxic.

Imaginative

The physical and mental challenges themselves show some creativity in design—obstacle courses, endurance tests, strategy games. But it's a reality competition format that's been running since 1998 with minimal evolution. There's no world-building, storytelling, or invitation to create anything. It's watch-only entertainment.

Safe

Common Sense Media flags physically brutal challenges, sexual content, strong language, drinking, and smoking as standard. It's rated 15+ for good reason. Younger teens could stumble into episodes with more mature content than expected, including hookups and aggressive confrontations. Not graphic, but definitely not safe for unexpected viewing by younger kids.

Enriching

There's some value in watching people push physical limits, strategize, and navigate team dynamics under pressure. Could spark conversations about sportsmanship, handling conflict, and perseverance. But the drama often overshadows any meaningful growth, and the behaviors modeled—backstabbing, excessive drinking, verbal abuse—aren't exactly enriching. Entertainment value is high for the target demo, but takeaways are limited.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely intense physical competitions that showcase athleticism and endurance
Strategic gameplay and alliance-building can be engaging for teens interested in competition shows
Long-running series with massive fan community—if your teen's friends watch it, they'll have plenty to discuss
Can spark conversations about handling pressure, conflict resolution (or lack thereof), and consequences of poor behavior

⚠

What to Watch For

Constant drinking, smoking, and hookup culture—this is MTV reality TV at its most MTV
Verbal fights and trash-talking are the norm; physical altercations happen occasionally
Strong language throughout, plus sexual references and situations
The behavior modeled here is often toxic—great opportunity to discuss what NOT to do, but only if your teen can handle that context

Conversation Starters

"Some of these competitors are really strategic, others just lose their cool. What do you think makes someone successful in this kind of high-pressure environment?"
"There's a lot of drama and fighting on this show. Do you think that's just for TV, or do you see similar dynamics with people you know?"
"If you were on a team challenge like this, what role would you play? Leader, strategist, peacekeeper, or something else?"
"The drinking and partying seems like a big part of the show. How do you think that affects their performance in the actual competitions?"

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The Challenge – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise