The Shannara Chronicles – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Shannara Chronicles

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

show2016

42%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

MTV's sexy fantasy adaptation that took Terry Brooks' beloved books and added love triangles, crop tops, and not much else.

79%

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The Shannara Chronicles

show

TV-14, 2016

42%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

MTV's sexy fantasy adaptation that took Terry Brooks' beloved books and added love triangles, crop tops, and not much else.

79%

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, this show had potential. Terry Brooks' Shannara novels are genuinely great fantasy literature with deep world-building and philosophical themes. Then MTV got hold of it and decided what teens really wanted was attractive people in leather making out between demon fights.

The show isn't terrible—it has decent production values, some cool creature effects, and moments of genuine adventure. But it's also incredibly dated even though it only aired in 2016-2017. The CW-style teen drama, the gratuitous costume choices, the love triangles—it all feels like a time capsule of mid-2010s 'young adult' adaptations that prioritized pretty faces over substance.

Add in that it was cancelled after two seasons with no satisfying conclusion, and you've got a show that's hard to recommend in 2025. If your teen is really into fantasy, point them toward The Dragon Prince, Avatar, or honestly just hand them the actual Shannara books. This show is skippable.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media's 14+ rating is spot-on. The sexual content, moderate violence, and mature themes make this inappropriate for younger teens. Honestly though, even older teens might find it dated and cheesy by 2025 standards—it already felt like a CW reject when it aired in 2016.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Based on Terry Brooks' fantasy novels, this MTV adaptation went heavy on the teen drama and CW-style romance angles. While it has themes of friendship and heroism, the show is known for prioritizing attractive young cast members in revealing costumes and relationship drama over emotional depth. The tone skews more 'pretty people in a fantasy setting' than genuinely wholesome character development.

Imaginative

Post-apocalyptic fantasy world where magic and technology collide—Earth thousands of years after our civilization fell. The 'Four Lands' setting and the concept of demons breaking free from magical imprisonment offers solid world-building borrowed from Brooks' novels. However, the show's execution leaned generic, with familiar fantasy tropes and less creative exploration than the source material deserved.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates it 14+ for good reason. The show features moderate violence with demon creatures, some gore, sexual content and suggestive scenes (it aired on MTV, after all), and characters in revealing fantasy costumes. There's romantic/sexual tension throughout, some disturbing imagery with demons, and occasional intense action sequences. Not nightmare fuel, but definitely has content parents should preview first.

Enriching

Despite being based on beloved fantasy literature, the show dumbed down most of the philosophical themes in favor of teen melodrama. There are surface-level messages about destiny, courage, and protecting your world, but they're buried under love triangles and CW-style plotting. It's entertainment, but not particularly thought-provoking or skill-building. Viewers would get far more enrichment from reading the actual Shannara books.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Introduces teens to fantasy world-building with a post-apocalyptic twist—our world became their magical realm
Strong female lead (Amberle) who's more than just a love interest, at least initially
Decent production values and practical effects for a cable show
Might inspire teens to read the actual Shannara novels, which are genuinely excellent

⚠

What to Watch For

Moderate violence with demon creatures, some blood and disturbing imagery
Sexual content and romantic situations—characters often in revealing fantasy costumes
Show was cancelled after 2 seasons with no real conclusion, which is frustrating
Heavy on teen melodrama and love triangles that may annoy both parents and kids looking for actual fantasy storytelling

Conversation Starters

"What would you do if you discovered our world had ended and became a fantasy realm thousands of years later?"
"The elves have to protect a magical tree—what do you think that represents about protecting nature?"
"Do you think the show focuses too much on romance instead of the adventure? What would you change?"
"If you had to choose between duty to your people and following your heart, what would you pick?"

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