For British viewers, this show is basically Dragon's Den. Identical concept, almost identical execution.The things that are different are all improvements; the title is better - makes more sense to westerners. There is no annoying presenter doing pieces to camera. The dragons... sorry, sharks are billionaires, and every investment that they make results in multi-million dollar revenue for the entrepreneurs, and the amounts that they invest are often way bigger too, making the whole thing a higher stakes proposition than the humbler British version, and thus more entertaining.Also, the sharks switch around, so it's not always the same five, but over the course of a season you get to know them all, so it's still comfortably familiar. And they're mostly likeable (like the British ones) but way ruder and a bit funnier.Overall, it's Dragon's Den, but better.

I've watched this show for years, and I've watched people come and go here. While I am engaged by the entrepreneurial nature of this show, I am disappointed by the disturbing behavior that occurs between the "businessmen" and "businesswomen" on this show. Every episode, I hope that this show has "grown up" in its appreciation of women's leadership. And every time I watch, I am disappointed. The men on this show continue to interrupt the women, leaving the women waiting for an opportunity to speak. It's embarrassing for our culture in this day and age. I honor the women on this show as I relate to their position. I am embarrassed for the men who still don't "get it" Shame on you, Shark Tank men.

I started watching this show not expecting to develop a very low opinion of the series but that is what happened after watching it for a few months with family members in the living room. At best, I think the sharks on the show only have the right to be called complete selfish idiots and their behavior is not only harming many of society's victims in domestic abuse, workplace management, and even ongoing violent white collar crime, they actually are harming their own image as you can document with the synopsis of Robert Herjavec's attempted suicide publication that he himself discussed in interviews. It certainly does not surprise me that people at petty and disgusting as those on this show could think they have nothing left to live for with all their money. They are 100% giving many monsters the needed impetus to beat their wives, sicken their children, and ultimately fire good employees that they like to bash, leaving many horribly unemployed even with families. The reality is in this country shows like this are somehow applauded and not recognized for sick, lame, and pathetic. When you watch this show for a long time, you see that the contests look like they are sick to their stomachs, and not just obviously very uncomfortable. It's like watching a show from another era with a nasty dictator who will look at the kindest and complete people and decide to shame them for not even what could be wrong with anything about them, but just whatever the dictator wants to say that often is not even based in reality. The saddest part of the show is when you feel horrified for the latest insult someone said, like when Kevin O'Leary told someone with a dog nutrition bar that it is "poop on a stick" or when he told a completely blind man with a visor, "you are not dead but you are not really alive," or even when he said to one of the most competent presenters according to Barbara and Mark Cuban on the show, "What if the bigger companies squash you like the cockroach that you are?" and then realize that the other sharks actually are not being sincere when they start to apologize for the behavior of the comments of Leary or someone else and then say something even more sick or ridiculous to the presenter to show they actually aren't giving a crap about their behavior either and are totally faking feeling mortified for the sharks who act insanely. There is just no redemption in watching a show about American circus clowns feeding off the work and pride of well meaning entrepreneurs who sadly never have the nerve to put the sharks in their place. The unknown statistics that this show is creating in the American circus of murder, violence, and workplace racism and total insanity will forever be unknown. For now, I hope the sharks lose as many professional credits and lasting friendships for being such utter classless and monstrous participants in siphoning off the faith and good will of American workers and families watching the show. I hope everyone watching the show can learn that no matter how much money you have, you still ultimately only have how much value you put into your own self as these clowns ultimately display as an important lesson when they feel personally threatened enough by intellect or looks of the participants to need to try to humiliate them despite being so wealthy. I also hope watchers of the show begin to research how bogus not only the lack of employee rights are in this country compared to almost all of Europe and even major Asian countries like Japan and Singapore, but really we have no rights in our medical field even as an off shoot of catering to sick, psychopaths like this and it is 100% true that everyone in this country who gets terminal diseases such as cancer will never once be told that there was a Nobel Peace Prize given in 1931 for oxygen's ability to stop the growth of cancer so fake "professionals" like the show's sharks can continuing "professionally" ruining all American life and further dreams. That's what the show's mentality is supporting--low level murder and then ultimately the loss of all rights in this corporate system like medical freedom for even the wealthiest of doctors trying to help anyone or their patients. In this country that likes shows like this, doctors will lose their medical license if they even mention "Otto Warbug and the Nobel Peace Prize for the halt of the growth of cancer cells" because clowns like this control the entire medical practice and think that like the pons they insult, reality can be reduced to crap as the sharks so often praise discussing.

As an entrepreneur myself, I've dealt with investors and VC's, and I can honestly say that the Sharks are a great representation of real-life. They come across as harsh, money-grubbing, and greedy most of the time. But the kicker is that in the world of investing, you have to be this way and more, or else you get railroaded by the guys willing to go the extra mile. Often times I feel the Sharks do a great job of rooting out the good businesses from the ones that likely will crash and burn. I've observed that they'll usually ask for a majority percentage in the company if the presenter is somebody who hasn't really proved themselves in the wide market. To me this is absolutely fair, because the return is that the presenter has the opportunity to work with a partner who's made millions or billions of dollars, and provides a wealth of knowledge and experience. In short, if you're a start-up or recent start-up, you might not want to go on this show, because you'll likely give up more of your company than you want to. If you have a tried and true product, and need extra cash to expand or market yourself, this is a great opportunity. For viewers with interests in business or who want to learn more about business, I highly recommend Shark Tank. It's educational, smart, creative, and ultimately worthy of your time.