Beyond Scared Straight: Season 1

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 4 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	Your Score
7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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Beyond Scared Straight

Now Playing: Beyond Scared Straight

Season Details & Credits

A&E | Season Premiere Date: January 13, 2011

Summary: Based on Arnold Shapiro's Oscar and Emmy-winning documentary, the series follows several groups of students as they visit prisons to learn the hard truth of life behind bars and hopefully avoid ending up in one.

Genre(s): Drama, Reality, Talk & Interview, Game Show, Documentary, Arts

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Season 1 Episodes

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S1:E12. San Bernardino County, CA Girls
Air Date: December 15, 2011
tbd
S1:E7. Jessup Women's Prison
Air Date: March 3, 2011
tbd
S1:E6. Hagerstown
Air Date: February 24, 2011

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Catherine Fuentes

Jan 13, 2011

Maury Povich? Eat your heart out. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Jan 13, 2011

If Beyond is deficient in any respect, it's in the minimal follow-up....Still, that amounts to a quibble regarding a series that, unlike most of what passes for "reality TV," feels truly authentic--and sobering. Read full review

Mark A. Perigard

Jan 13, 2011

Arnold's Beyond Scared Straight hews to the premise of the original and proves to be just as gripping. Read full review

Verne Gay

Jan 26, 2011

You see no skepticism in Beyond. No analysis. No thinking. Just a lot of truly scary people yelling at very young kids. Read full review

User Score

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7.3

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User Reviews

xXAnthonyXx

Feb 11, 2011

Love this. I'm not usally into these type of shows but, I was wrong. When I first saw it, I watched all the episodes aired so far and I don't regret it. I love this show.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

andrewgarcia732

Oct 25, 2013

In a world where teens are becoming more and more rebellious, the only way to reform them is to...scare them straight. Each one-hour episode "focuses on a different inmate-run program in the US, and follows four or five at-risk teens before they attend the program, throughout their dayIn a world where teens are becoming more and more rebellious, the only way to reform them is to...scare them straight. Each one-hour episode "focuses on a different inmate-run program in the US, and follows four or five at-risk teens before they attend the program, throughout their day inside the prison, immediately afterwards, and then follows up with them one month later to see the lasting impact of the experience on their lives. I love this show, but I think the kids are not pushed hard enough; they need to teach them a lesson. While it certainly feels dramatized a bit, yelling at teens in their faces and bullying them seems to be quite an efficient method of reformation (although studies say otherwise). Entertaining, to say the least!

If you liked this review, read my other ones on a wide selection of movies and TV shows and mark this review as helpful.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

30Cents

Jul 10, 2015

Have you ever wondered what it is like being in a prison? This is a better question; have you ever wondered what it is like being in a prison...as a teenager? Well "Beyond Scared Straight" shows what it like being in a prison showing teenagers the other inmates and what they have done.Have you ever wondered what it is like being in a prison? This is a better question; have you ever wondered what it is like being in a prison...as a teenager? Well "Beyond Scared Straight" shows what it like being in a prison showing teenagers the other inmates and what they have done.

The show starts off with stories about the teenagers what they have done to deserve being shown around in a real-life prison. The stories are all different, and so are the teenagers' age. The officers are then show the group of teenagers around the prison to show how horrifying and abysmal it is to be in one of them. The show then gets to its point almost right away after the stories are presented from the teenagers as they all head into a nightmare. The inmates all attempt to scare the teenagers to show them they really do not want to be there. Some of the episodes actually make the teenagers talk to the inmates to get more information out of them, the stores can range from them doing grand theft auto to murder. Depending on the episode, the teenagers are then asked to sit down and eat lunch, the food can range from disgusting to only appetizing. This is a prison after all, so they should not expect the food to be any good. Some episodes make the teenagers stay overnight in a cell with the other inmates, while others only take a daytime tour of the building. The teenagers are then taken back to their loved ones and explain what they have learned over the tour. Some of them say they have changes, while others could say they have not.

Each episode is taken place in a different location, this a strong point in the show so it would not be boring. Most of the episodes are fun to watch, we get to learn more about the teenagers and the inmates as the show goes on until the end. The show is intense at times which goes with the mood of the episode you are watching.

The show teaches other people how not to be like the people you see on the show and learn that it is bad to do wrongful things to other individuals. Many people will learn how bad going to a prison really is, the show gives an intense message to people who are doing bad things and learn that it is not good going to a prison.

"Beyond Scared Straight" is one of the best shows on A&E. The show is very fun to watch no matter what episode it is. Almost every episode is enjoyable, you want to sit down in your seat and learn more about the teenagers and the inmates that are featured in each episode. A&E has come up with a great idea of showing what it is like in prison and showing how intense each of the prisons are.

Great if you are looking for a documentary about prison.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

spadenx

Dec 30, 2011

This show is just so stupid imo. Taking kids (from 12-18) into prison in a pathetic attempt to scare them straight. The worst the kids have done was do drugs, drink, and fight. Nothing major, Well nothing worthy enough to be brought to a prison in an attempt to scare them. I just really dontThis show is just so stupid imo. Taking kids (from 12-18) into prison in a pathetic attempt to scare them straight. The worst the kids have done was do drugs, drink, and fight. Nothing major, Well nothing worthy enough to be brought to a prison in an attempt to scare them. I just really dont see the point in this show at all. Its not a bad show but its simply one of those shows where you like it or you dont and I dont.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Seasons & Episodes

83

Series Overview
Season 9

tbd
- Season 9 Overview
  Air Date: June 25, 2015
Season 8

tbd
- Season 8 Overview
  Air Date: December 4, 2014
Season 7

tbd
- Season 7 Overview
  Air Date: June 26, 2014
Season 6

tbd
- Season 6 Overview
  Air Date: February 28, 2014
Season 5

tbd
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: October 3, 2013
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: May 30, 2013
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: August 20, 2012
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: August 18, 2011
Season 1

83
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: January 13, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E12. San Bernardino County, CA Girls
  Air Date: December 15, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E7. Jessup Women's Prison
  Air Date: March 3, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E6. Hagerstown
  Air Date: February 24, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E5. San Quentin
  Air Date: February 10, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E4. Lieber
  Air Date: February 3, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E3. Corcoran
  Air Date: January 27, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E2. Jessup
  Air Date: January 20, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E2. Oakland County, MI
  Air Date: August 25, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E2. San Bernardino County, CA Girls
  Air Date: August 6, 2015
- tbd
  S1:E1. Chowchilla
  Air Date: January 13, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E1. Suffolk County, MA
  Air Date: July 30, 2015