• Is it age appropriate?

  About our ratings

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  Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 14.

• Is it any good?

  3.0

• Common Sense says

  Classic '90s teen soap with famous a zip code.

Why We Rated This for Ages 14–16

What to watch out for

• Messages:

  This series presents an unrealistic portrayal of teenagers, but it deals with the very real issues that teens face. Discussions about socioeconomic class are frequent, since some characters aren't as wealthy as others. Some members of the group do work and participate in volunteer activities. Not all characters are good or nice, and not all bad behavior is presented as having negative consequences. Characters frequently cheat, scheme, and manipulate. Despite the large ensemble cast, there are only a few characters of multicultural background featured, including Jesse Vazquez, Andrea's Latino boyfriend/husband.
• Violence:

  Some of the plotlines feature characters surviving violent crime, including physical abuse, shooting, and rape. A character is murdered in a later season.
• Sex:

  Frequent scenes of teens kissing and "making out." Frequent references to sexual activity. Discussions about teen pregnancy and sex are also featured, including discussions about virginity (particularly Donna's) and unexpected pregnancy (Andrea's). The episode in which Dylan and Brenda had sex for the first time was a big deal when it first aired.
• Language:

  Pretty mild: "Damn," "hell," "bitch," etc.
• Consumerism:

  Many (but not all) of the characters are presented as wealthy, materialistic members of the upscale Beverly Hills community.
• Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

  Teen cigarette use (accompanied by a clear discussion of their consequences). Alcohol and drug abuse (including steroids) are shown to have clear negative consequences. But the underage characters still do plenty of drinking outside the context of abuse.

What Parents Need to Know

About Beverly Hills, 90210

Families Can Talk About