Shark Tank

Aspiring entrepreneurs pitch various business ideas to "The Sharks" -- tough, self-made, multi-millionaire and billionaire tycoons -- in hopes of landing an investment.

Shark Tank (2009-present) is an American reality competition series created by Mark Burnett for ABC. Each episode puts aspiring entrepreneurs in front of a panel of tough, self-made multi-millionaire and billionaire investors known as the Sharks, including Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O'Leary and Lori Greiner. The engine of the show is simple: a founder with a product or service has a few minutes to make a case, then faces rapid-fire questions about margins, sales and valuation while trying to secure a cash offer in exchange for equity. Deals are struck, countered, or walked away from on camera, and the sharks' blunt verdicts drive the drama. The show is an open-ended, case-of-the-week format on a long-running schedule with dozens of seasons and hundreds of episodes, so each installment stands on its own. It is a family-friendly broadcast reality production set in a contemporary American business world, with a brisk, upbeat tone that mixes practical lessons with the hope of a breakthrough. Fans of The Apprentice, Dragons' Den and The Profit will find the same appeal in watching ambition meet scrutiny.

Audiences broadly rate Shark Tank as a positive, engaging business reality format, with its early seasons rated highest and later seasons more mixed.

• The Apprenticecompetitive business pitch format, celebrity investor panel, reality format with deal making
• Dragons' Denentrepreneur pitches and investor negotiation in a reality competition format
• The Profitunscripted business competition with a panel of experts judging contestants

Created by

Mark Burnett

Release Date

2009-08-09

Episode runtime

44 min

Rating

7.6 / 10 (143)

What is Shark Tank about?

Aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of self-made tycoons hoping to win an investment.

What is Shark Tank like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Shark Tank as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is Shark Tank violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Shark Tank.

What did critics think of Shark Tank?

Audiences broadly rate Shark Tank as a positive, engaging business reality format, with its early seasons rated highest and later seasons more mixed.

Which shows are like Shark Tank?

Shows with a similar feel include The Apprentice, Dragons' Den, and The Profit.

How long is Shark Tank?

Shark Tank: 18 seasons, 385 episodes.

Is Shark Tank still running?

Yes, Shark Tank is still running.

Where can I watch Shark Tank?

In United States, Shark Tank streams on Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube TV.