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Pranked
Genre
Starring
Opening theme"Neon Politik"
by The Franks
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes54
Production
Executive producers
  • Cheri Brownle
  • John Johnston
  • Shawn Witt
  • Tim Healy
  • Tony DiBari
Running time20 to 24 minutes
(excluding commercials)
Production companyCheri Sundae Productions
Original release
NetworkMTV
ReleaseAugust 27, 2009 (2009-08-27) –
November 30, 2012 (2012-11-30)
Related
The CollegeHumor Show

Pranked is an American sketch comedy television series hosted by CollegeHumor's Amir Blumenfeld and Streeter Seidell that aired on MTV from August 27, 2009, to November 30, 2012.[1][2]

Premise

[edit]

The series is a half-an-hour comedy show that provides footage and commentary for pranks that have been caught on camera and posted to the internet.[3]

Cast

[edit]
  • Amir Blumenfeld: Blumenfeld is the senior writer for CollegeHumor.com. He also stars in web series, "Jake and Amir" and "Hardly Working".[4]
  • Streeter Seidell: Seidell is the executive editor of CollegeHumor.com and also for the series Streeter Theeter.[5]

Episodes

[edit]
SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
18August 27, 2009 (2009-08-27)October 15, 2009 (2009-10-15)
212May 27, 2010 (2010-05-27)July 15, 2010 (2010-07-15)
38November 4, 2010 (2010-11-04)December 23, 2010 (2010-12-23)
410February 21, 2012 (2012-02-21)March 7, 2012 (2012-03-07)
516October 29, 2012 (2012-10-29)November 30, 2012 (2012-11-30)

Season 1 (2009)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date
11"Episode 1"August 27, 2009 (2009-08-27)
22"Episode 2"September 3, 2009 (2009-09-03)
33"Episode 3"September 10, 2009 (2009-09-10)
44"Episode 4"September 17, 2009 (2009-09-17)
55"Episode 5"September 24, 2009 (2009-09-24)
66"Episode 6"October 1, 2009 (2009-10-01)
77"Episode 7"October 8, 2009 (2009-10-08)
88"Episode 8"October 15, 2009 (2009-10-15)

Season 2 (2010)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date
91"Episode 1"May 27, 2010 (2010-05-27)
102"Episode 6"May 27, 2010 (2010-05-27)
113"Episode 7"June 3, 2010 (2010-06-03)
124"Episode 8"June 3, 2010 (2010-06-03)
135"Episode 9"June 10, 2010 (2010-06-10)
146"Episode 10"June 17, 2010 (2010-06-17)
157"Episode 11"June 17, 2010 (2010-06-17)
168"Episode 4"June 24, 2010 (2010-06-24)
179"Episode 5"June 24, 2010 (2010-06-24)
1810"Episode 2"July 1, 2010 (2010-07-01)
1911"Episode 3"July 8, 2010 (2010-07-08)
2012"Best of Season 2"July 15, 2010 (2010-07-15)

Season 3 (2010)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date
211"Mansion"November 4, 2010 (2010-11-04)
222"Roller Rink"November 11, 2010 (2010-11-11)
233"Strip Club"November 18, 2010 (2010-11-18)
244"Pet Store"December 2, 2010 (2010-12-02)
255"Barber Shop"December 9, 2010 (2010-12-09)
266"A Pranked Holiday"December 21, 2010 (2010-12-21)
277"Recording Studio"December 23, 2010 (2010-12-23)
288"Health Club"December 23, 2010 (2010-12-23)

Season 4 (2012)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date
291"Magic Shop"February 21, 2012 (2012-02-21)
302"Adventure Land"February 22, 2012 (2012-02-22)
313"Tanning Salon"February 24, 2012 (2012-02-24)
324"Comedy Club"February 27, 2012 (2012-02-27)
335"Sneaker Store"February 28, 2012 (2012-02-28)
346"Yoga Studio"February 29, 2012 (2012-02-29)
357"Italian Restaurant"March 1, 2012 (2012-03-01)
368"Mini-Golf Course"March 5, 2012 (2012-03-05)
379"Martial Arts Studio"March 6, 2012 (2012-03-06)
3810"Thrift Store"March 7, 2012 (2012-03-07)

Season 5 (2012)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date
391"The Bowling Alley"October 29, 2012 (2012-10-29)
402"The Sculpture Garden"October 30, 2012 (2012-10-30)
413"The Baseball Diamond"October 31, 2012 (2012-10-31)
424"Trout Lake"November 1, 2012 (2012-11-01)
435"The Bakery"November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06)
446"Episode 6"November 7, 2012 (2012-11-07)
457"The Greenhouse Garden"November 8, 2012 (2012-11-08)
468"The Cowboy Bar"November 13, 2012 (2012-11-13)
479"The Alley"November 14, 2012 (2012-11-14)
4810"The Tree House"November 15, 2012 (2012-11-15)
4911"Episode 11"November 16, 2012 (2012-11-16)
5012"The Bookstore"November 26, 2012 (2012-11-26)
5113"The Trampoline Park"November 28, 2012 (2012-11-28)
5214"The Green Screen"November 28, 2012 (2012-11-28)
5315"The Playground"November 29, 2012 (2012-11-29)
5416"The Horse Stables"November 30, 2012 (2012-11-30)

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Pranked

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Pranked is an American reality television series that premiered on on August 27, 2009, and concluded on November 30, 2012, featuring user-submitted videos of homemade s executed by everyday people without professional assistance. Hosted by contributors and , the show presents a curated selection of humorous prank footage sourced from online submissions, accompanied by the hosts' witty commentary and analysis. Inspired by the duo's own viral "Prank War" video series on .com, which amassed millions of views, Pranked highlights elaborate setups ranging from bedroom surprises to public stunts, emphasizing creativity and reaction captures. The series spans five seasons and 55 episodes, each running approximately 25 minutes, and aired in a TV-14 format targeted at a audience interested in and viral content. Produced by Cheri Productions as a , it capitalized on the rising popularity of user-generated videos in the late , positioning itself as a showcase for pranksters while avoiding celebrity involvement to focus on relatable, humor. Notable for its lighthearted tone and assurance that no participants were harmed during the featured pranks, Pranked contributed to MTV's lineup of programming during a period when the network was shifting toward digital-inspired entertainment. Although it did not receive formal critical acclaim metrics like Tomatometer scores, the show maintained a dedicated fanbase, reflected in its multi-season run.

Background and Development

Origins and Inspiration

The origins of Pranked trace back to the online video series "Prank Wars," created by writers and , which began in 2007 and documented their escalating pranks against each other over seven episodes (with an eighth added later that year). The series quickly gained viral traction, amassing over 10 million views across its installments and establishing the duo's reputation for irreverent, peer-to-peer humor. This web content, characterized by its "fratty" style of juvenile antics and hidden-camera setups, differentiated itself from celebrity-centric shows like by focusing on everyday, internet-sourced pranks rather than high-profile targets. By 2008, the popularity of "Prank Wars" and 's broader online sketches had drawn the attention of executives, leading to the network's interest in adapting for television. The series was greenlit in early 2009 as a featuring user-submitted prank videos, with Blumenfeld and Seidell providing hosted commentary to tie it directly to their web origins. This adaptation built on the success of 's first venture, The CollegeHumor Show, positioning Pranked as a natural extension of the site's prank-heavy content. A pivotal promotional event occurred on November 13, 2009, when Blumenfeld and Seidell appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where they reenacted elements of their "Prank Wars" feud and highlighted its connection to the newly launched Pranked series, further boosting its visibility just months after the show's MTV debut.

Hosts

Amir Blumenfeld, born January 18, 1983, in Afula, Israel, is an Israeli-American comedian, actor, writer, and television host. He immigrated to the United States at age two and joined the New York-based comedy website CollegeHumor as a writer in 2006. There, he co-created the web series Jake and Amir alongside Jake Hurwitz, which featured improvised comedic sketches and contributed to his rise in online comedy. On Pranked, Blumenfeld served as co-host, providing commentary on user-submitted prank videos and recapping key moments to guide viewers through the footage. Streeter Seidell, born in 1982, is an American , writer, actor, and television host who began his professional career at in 2005, initially contributing to the site's first book before advancing to . His work at the site included writing and performing in sketches that showcased his dry comedic style. As co-host of Pranked, Seidell engaged in banter with Blumenfeld, reacting to the pranks with exaggerated responses informed by their shared history of mutual trickery. The duo's on-screen chemistry on Pranked derived from their Prank Wars video series on , which originated in 2007 and escalated through increasingly elaborate staged stunts (later revealed as scripted in a 2017 podcast episode). Notable examples include Blumenfeld's 2007 prank at , where he orchestrated a fake by Seidell to his girlfriend in front of thousands of fans, and Seidell's retaliation in March 2009, forcing Blumenfeld to attempt a blindfolded half-court basketball shot at the during a University of game for a purported $500,000 prize. This competitive dynamic, established well before the show's 2009 debut, infused their hosting with authentic mock outrage and playful rivalry during prank breakdowns. Following Pranked, Blumenfeld and Seidell maintained occasional collaborations in writing and podcasts, such as a 2017 episode of If I Were You revisiting their prank history (where they revealed the original series was staged), and a second season of Prank Wars that premiered on Dropout in December 2023.

Format and Content

Premise

Pranked is a television series that compiles and showcases homemade prank videos sourced from the , focusing on amateur footage captured via or personal recordings. These clips typically feature elaborate setups such as surprise scares, physical gags like wedgies or fake hauntings, and public stunts designed to elicit humorous or shocking reactions from unsuspecting participants. The show selects videos based on their value, emphasizing pranks that balance humor with elements of surprise and mild chaos, often involving everyday people rather than celebrities or professionals. Hosted by CollegeHumor alumni and , the series incorporates their voiceover narration and on-screen appearances to provide commentary, analyzing the execution and outcomes of each prank. Drawing from their own history of escalating practical jokes documented in the viral "Prank War" series, the hosts offer insights and relate the featured clips to personal anecdotes, adding a meta-layer of authenticity and relatability. Their reactions highlight the pranks' creativity and impact. The tone of Pranked blends lighthearted with an edgy, frat-boy humor style, prioritizing quick-witted banter and exaggerated responses to maintain a fun, irreverent atmosphere. Episodes are structured thematically, grouping pranks by categories such as family-targeted gags versus public encounters, and run approximately 20-24 minutes to fit a half-hour broadcast slot. This format distinguishes Pranked from shows relying on scripted or celebrity-driven pranks, instead celebrating user-generated content for its raw, unpolished appeal.

Episode Structure

Episodes of Pranked typically follow a clip-show format, compiling several short videos of amateur pranks sourced from the , with hosts and providing witty, snarky commentary throughout. Each 30-minute installment centers on a loose theme related to the premise of showcasing user-generated prank footage, such as nighttime setups or family-targeted gags, allowing the hosts to frame the content with introductory banter that sets a humorous tone. The core of an consists of 3-4 main segments, each featuring a 2-3 minute clip followed by host reactions, including slow-motion replays to highlight victims' exaggerated expressions of surprise, , or . Blumenfeld and Seidell interject with banter, debating the prank's creativity or effectiveness, which adds a layer of improvisational to the pre-recorded footage. This structure emphasizes the raw, unpolished nature of online pranks while using the hosts' dynamic to maintain pacing and engagement across the half-hour runtime. While the format remained consistent across the show's five seasons from 2009 to 2012, the hosts provided ongoing commentary to contextualize the clips, though the focus stayed on curated videos. Episodes conclude with a teaser previewing the next installment's pranks, encouraging viewers to submit their own footage via MTV's online platforms.

Production

Production Team

The primary production company for Pranked was Cheri Sundae Productions, which handled the sourcing of prank clips from online sources and the editing process to compile them into episodes. Executive producers included Cheri Brownlee, who oversaw the overall vision for the series through Cheri Sundae Productions, and John Johnston, who contributed to content development and production coordination at the same company. From MTV's side, Shawn Witt and Tim Healy served as executive producers, focusing on network oversight and alignment with broadcast standards, while Tony DiBari acted as executive in charge of production for the network, managing content selection and final approvals. The crew emphasized post-production roles, with directors and editors specializing in assembling and enhancing externally sourced internet footage rather than conducting on-location filming for the pranks themselves. Key editors included Eric Sievering, who worked on 29 episodes across the series, Sean Olson for 13 episodes, and Benjamin Rawls for 11 episodes, ensuring the prank compilations were paced dynamically for television. In its development, provided an initial content pipeline, supplying prank ideas and featuring its talents as hosts to integrate the show's comedic style with the site's viral humor tradition.

Filming and Style

The production of Pranked relied heavily on , with prank clips primarily sourced from videos and viewer submissions during the show's run in the late 2000s and early , reflecting the burgeoning era of amateur video sharing. Rather than creating original pranks, the team curated existing footage to fill each 30-minute episode, emphasizing cost-effective assembly of viral online moments without involving paid performers or scripted scenarios. This approach captured the raw, unpolished energy of early web pranks, focusing on amateur recordings that highlighted surprise and reaction in everyday settings. Host segments featuring and were filmed in a studio environment, where the duo provided snarky, humorous commentary to frame and react to the sourced clips. These segments integrated overlays and basic visual enhancements to bridge the amateur footage with a more polished broadcast feel, maintaining a lighthearted tone that poked fun at the pranks' absurdities. The hosts' delivery added a layer of structure, turning disparate online videos into a cohesive viewing . The visual style of Pranked employed fast-paced techniques to replicate the frenetic pace of web videos, incorporating slow-motion replays, instant loops of key reactions, and amplified sound effects—such as exaggerated screams—to heighten comedic impact. Host cutaways interrupted the clips for quips, while added and underscored punchlines, transforming raw submissions into engaging television. Production faced challenges in verifying clip authenticity to avoid fabricated content and navigating legal considerations around permissions for broadcast, requiring rigorous curation from numerous submissions to fit episode runtimes.

Broadcast and Release

Airing Schedule

Pranked premiered on MTV on August 27, 2009, initially airing in the Thursday 10:30 PM ET time slot. The first season ran throughout 2009, with Season 2 following in May 2010 and Season 3 debuting later that year on November 4. After a hiatus of over a year, the series returned for Season 4 on February 21, 2012, before Season 5 aired its finale on November 30, 2012. Over its total run of five seasons spanning three years, Pranked produced 54 episodes, with no international syndication noted. The series concluded amid MTV's broader programming shifts away from sketch and formats toward other content styles, and it has been available for streaming on various platforms.

Seasons Overview

The series Pranked ran for five seasons from 2009 to 2012, totaling 54 episodes across its run on . Season 1, consisting of 8 episodes from August 27 to October 15, 2009, launched the show with a focus on basic internet-sourced pranks, establishing the hosts' signature rating system to score the clips' humor and execution. The season emphasized accessible, everyday gags captured on amateur video. Season 2, which aired 12 episodes from May 27 to July 15, 2010, continued to showcase user-submitted prank videos with the hosts' commentary. Season 3, comprising 8 episodes from November 4 to December 23, 2010, featured more elaborate prank setups. Following a hiatus, Season 4 returned in 2012 with 10 episodes from February 21 to April 4, 2012, featuring improved editing and graphics while maintaining the core format. The fifth and final season, in 2012 with 16 episodes from October 29 to November 30, 2012, concluded the series.

Reception and Legacy

Critical Response

Pranked has garnered a generally negative , with reviewers often highlighting its reliance on low-effort, user-submitted videos as a key weakness. On , the series holds an average rating of 4.8 out of 10, based on 276 user reviews as of 2025. Similarly, awarded it 1 out of 5 stars, condemning the content for featuring crude, mean-spirited, and potentially dangerous pranks that provoke uncomfortable reactions without redeeming value. Positive commentary has been sparse but occasionally focused on the hosts' dynamic. A 2009 Wired article praised the prank war between hosts and for its playful charm, viewing the show as an entertaining extension of their web comedy roots. Critics more frequently targeted the format's shortcomings, including the inconsistent quality and lack of sophistication in the pranks. In a 2009 review, The Michigan Daily labeled the clips "banal" and unfunny, arguing they paled in comparison to and lacked the celebrity allure that elevates similar programs, resulting in pranks that felt unnecessarily mean-spirited. Overall media coverage of Pranked remains limited, reflecting its niche status as a short-lived . provides no aggregated critic scores for the series, underscoring the scarcity of professional reviews.

Viewership and Impact

Pranked debuted on on August 27, 2009, as the network sought to leverage the rising popularity of prank content. The series aired across its seasons, reflecting 's broader efforts to blend with traditional television during a period of shifting audience habits. This era marked 's brief experiment with sketch-reality hybrids before the dominance of and shows. The show's cultural impact included showcasing user-generated prank videos on mainstream television. It contributed to the 2009-2012 boom in amateur prank videos on , inspiring creators to produce more elaborate hidden-camera content for viral appeal, though Pranked itself received no major awards. In terms of legacy, Pranked solidified the reputations of hosts and , leading to expanded television opportunities; Seidell, for instance, advanced to head writing roles on , while Blumenfeld pursued stand-up and podcasting ventures. As of , episodes are no longer widely available on major streaming services, limiting revival interest to niche audiences amid evolving prank .

References

  1. https://thetvdb.com/series/pranked
  2. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/pranked
  3. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1500807/
  4. https://www.wired.com/2009/08/mf-hoax-collegehumor/
  5. https://www.businessinsider.com/collegehumor-dudes-get-another-mtv-show-2009-8
  6. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/arts/television/05coll.html
  7. https://thecomicscomic.com/2009/11/13/collegehumors-streeter-and-amir-take-their-prank-war-to-new-heights-on-jimmy-kimmel-live/
  8. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3292100/
  9. https://www.earwolf.com/person/amir-blumenfeld/
  10. https://www.amazon.com/Pranked/dp/B002NG36XW
  11. https://nojoeschmo.com/tag/streeter-seidell/
  12. https://now.fordham.edu/fordham-magazine/the-comedic-stylings-of-saturday-night-lives-streeter-seidell/
  13. https://www.aaespeakers.com/keynote-speakers/streeter-seidell
  14. https://jakeandamir.fandom.com/wiki/Prank_Wars
  15. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/college-humors-prank-war_n_171804
  16. https://www.washingtonian.com/2010/05/17/college-prankscows-mules-and-lets-fool-the-campus-cops/
  17. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/pranked/s01
  18. https://ifiwereyoushow.com/post/163183216178/episode-283-prank-wars-wstreeter-seidell
  19. https://www.reddit.com/r/jakeandamir/comments/18q28tu/prank_war_s02e01_amirs_castration_official/
  20. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/pranked
  21. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/pranked/
  22. https://www.michigandaily.com/uncategorized/mtvs-pranked-joke-no-laughs/
  23. https://www.theformatpeople.com/post/secrets-of-the-prank-format-revealed
  24. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1500807/episodes/
  25. https://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/pranked/dvd/
  26. https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/MTVs-PRANKED-and-MEGADRIVE-Premiere-November-4-20101027
  27. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/pranked/cast-and-crew
  28. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/pranked/s01/cast-and-crew
  29. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1500807/fullcredits/
  30. https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v20i7.5981
  31. https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/movies-tv/reviews/a5223/mtv-launching-new-series-pranked/
  32. https://mediaincanada.com/2009/08/26/mtvpranked-20090826/
  33. https://www.dvdplanetstore.pk/shop/comedy/pranked/
  34. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/pranked/s04
  35. https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/pranked/episodes-season-5/1030405037/
  36. http://thefutoncritic.com/showatch/pranked/listings/
  37. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1500807/episodes/?season=1
  38. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/pranked/listings/
  39. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1500807/episodes/?season=3
  40. https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/pranked/episodes-season-4/1030405037/
  41. https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/37283-pranked
  42. https://reelgood.com/show/pranked-2009
  43. https://deadline.com/2018/04/mtv-orders-too-stupid-to-die-prank-series-from-former-mtv-chief-van-toffler-1202372686/
  44. https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/pranked
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