This is legitimately good television that happens to also be enriching—a rare combo. It's not just another reality competition with manufactured drama and people screaming at each other. Instead, it's 66 teams of regular humans (plus some elite athletes) attempting something genuinely extraordinary, and you get to watch them support each other, problem-solve, and discover what they're capable of.

The Bear Grylls hosting is solid, the Fijian scenery is stunning, and the stories are real. Yes, it's intense—people cry, people hurt, people face their limits—but it's all presented with respect and context. This isn't Survivor where you're voting people off; it's about whether you can finish at all.

The WISE score is strong because this genuinely delivers on multiple fronts: it's wholesome in its emphasis on teamwork and perseverance, it's enriching in what it teaches about human capability and outdoor skills, and it's safe in that there's no toxic behavior or inappropriate content (just genuine physical challenge). It loses points on imagination simply because it's a competition format rather than something that invites direct creative participation.

For families with teens, this is gold. For younger kids, preview first—some scenes of exhaustion and medical treatment might be too much. But if your family is into outdoor adventure, endurance sports, or just epic human achievement stories, this is absolutely worth your time. Just maybe don't watch it right before attempting your first 5K.