TV Review: Wild at Heart
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this British show's adult
characters often carry shotguns for protection from wild
animals, and hunters occasionally shoot and kill wildlife for
sport. A veterinarian uses a tranquilizer gun to sedate injured
animals from afar, and their injuries (bone breaks, puncture
wounds, etc.) are shown up close. A young boy also uses the
weapons -- in one case, he opens fire on hyenas that are trying
to kill a monkey; in another, he draws a tranquilizer gun on
school bullies. The parents' attempts to create harmony in a
newly blended family is an ongoing theme of the series.
Violence and tense encounters with wild animals make this one
iffy for young tweens.
Families can talk about guns and gun violence. Teens: What are your feelings about gun ownership? What are the pros and cons of allowing citizens to have guns? Does your family own firearms? Who has access to them? Do you feel safer or less safe with them around? How does the media affect your feelings on this issue? Does TV violence help create a violent society? Families can also discuss the Trevanions' attempts to blend their family -- is this a realistic depiction of stepfamilies?
Common Sense Media Review
In WILD AT HEART, a family travels from England to Africa on
a mission to introduce a rehabilitated monkey into the wild --
only to find that their hearts w them to stay and make a home
there.
Newlyweds Danny (Stephen Tompkinson) and Sarah (Amanda Holden) Trevanion, live in Bristol, where he has a successful (but slightly unfulfilling) veterinary practice and she's put her teaching career on hold to stay home and help their three kids ease into their new, blended family life. Still sorting out her emotions after her own mom's death, Danny's teenage daughter, Rosie (Lucy-Jo Hudson), rebels against Sarah's influence and her relationship with Danny. Meanwhile, Sarah's son, Evan (Luke Ward-Wilkinson), has his own troubles with bullies, which stretch his nerves to the breaking point, and his sister, Olivia (Rafaella Hutchinson), just wants a balanced, happy life.
When Evan's difficulties at school escalate, Danny and Sarah don't how to reach out to him -- but Evan soon finds a friend in an African monkey that Danny is nursing back to health. Danny and Sarah decide a trip to Africa might be just the thing for their struggling family -- as well as the rehabilitated monkey, who hopefully can adapt to life in the wild.
Once they're in Africa, the Trevanions discover that their surroundings relax them and soften the family's rough edges. So when local resident Anders DuPlessis (Deon Stewardson) invites them to help him build a game park and hotel, they decide to give it a go. Suddenly these city slickers must adjust to life where the wild things are.
Filled with emotional family drama and some tense encounters with wildlife, Wild at Heart will appeal to adults and possibly teens (though some may find the storyline a bit far-fetched for their taste). But be wary of sharing it with young tweens and littler kids: Guns are prevalent (even Evan uses one occasionally), animals' injuries are shown up close, and the family's tension might be too much for them.
Fans may also enjoy Scout's Safari . Or, for a look at nature in its truest form, check out Planet Earth or Caught in the Moment .
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
