 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Real World
- MTV
- Genre: Reality TV
Common Sense Media says
"Real life" amplified; mature teens only.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this landmark MTV series first aired in 1992 (making it one of the first reality shows) and has remained popular among teens and young adults over the years. Each season follows seven new roommates who bring a wide range of social, behavioral, physical, and sexual issues and experiences to the table, including (but not limited to) alcoholism, smoking, bar brawls, girls kissing for shock value, hot tubbing, drunken parties, lewd sex talk, one-night hook-ups, eating disorders, stereotypes, group showers, concerns about body image and self-worth, excessive drinking, homosexuality, and racism. The housemates' ages range from 18-24, so it's no surprise that the show's topics are really for a mature audience.
What's the story?
No matter which city is home to each new season of MTV's iconic reality series THE REAL WORLD -- be it San Francisco, New York, Austin, London, Seattle, Key West, or Denver -- the setup is always the same: Seven strangers are picked to live in a lavish house for six months and be filmed for viewers' enjoyment. Their close quarters always create the kind of drama that reality TV thrives on. Each season's cast is assigned to a specific job and works with a local organization, although considering how hard they party in the evenings, they often treat the responsibility of a job like a nuisance. In early seasons, jobs were community driven -- like helping build a playground for at-risk youths or serving as mentors -- but later seasons have featured the cast doing things like building, running, and marketing a MysticTan salon.
Is it any good?
In this very formulaic show, each housemate seems expected to conform to one of the following broad personality traits/backgrounds: naïve, small town/small minded, homosexual, bisexual, sexually confused, angry/bitter, drunken frat boy/sorority girl, loose, heavy drinker, or racist. In fact, so carefully are these boxes checked off every season that if you don't fit the bill, you probably won't make it to The Real World.
For the most part, conversations among the roommates are sexual in nature or center on their self-doubt. Occasionally, someone declares their sexual preference or their need to get some action. Housemates can often be found in the indoor Jacuzzi (a staple of every season) and drinking runs rampant. There are no televisions in the houses, but the Internet and phone are readily available. (Drunken phone calls back home to a loved one have become commonplace in the series.)
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the housemates. Which ones do you relate to? Why? What appeals to teens about the show and its stars? Is this something they might aspire to be part of? Why? What are the redeeming qualities (if any) of this fishbowl environment? Which issues in a particular season made a specific housemate stand out? Are there any positive role models here, or is everyone a stereotype? Do you think the housemates are chosen to fit a particular "type"? Why would producers want to do that? Why do you think they edit the show's content to emphasize sex, partying, and conflict?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Good for older teens, with solid minds.
Most 8th and 9th graders in public schools know abotu everything mentioned on the show. The issue is do they have the solid minds to decide, hey thats bad. If you think your kid wont be influenced to go and have sex with 3 people in 1 night, go ahead let them watch it.
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AGE
For a MTV Generation
Since the cast members are 18-25, the show is appropriate for those ages, and mature teenagers. Social issues like aneroxia, alcoholism, and gay stereotypes are addressed in a good way, and the show can be a used as a tool to talk to teens about these issues.
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AGE
If you want a soft porn on tv then this is perfect.
I saw the first episode and it began like this. They all got togethter in the house. ONe girl whined about there not being a gay guy. A black babtist found the gay guy(there's always a gay guy in the house) and he said "I think it's wrong that your gay". Then they all went out partying. There was a threesome kiss, smacking eachother's buts, etc. They got home and one of the girls wanted to have a "sleepover" with another guy. He said he'd be up in 20 minutes but he ended up making out with another girl and it actually showed about 5 minutes of making out.(oh and they were all drunk as heck). The episode continues like that. How is this the real world? IT's just a bunch of rich, horny, teens.
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AGE
MATURE teens only not for kids!
This show is inappropriate for children. There are fights galore and the cussing is REALLY BAD!! Words are bleeped but you know what there saying. Most people are immature and whiny they act 12 instead of 21. This show makes kids think that this is how real adults should act, but thats farther than the truth.
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AGE
A train wreck in the making
I hate to love this show. But I can't turn away from the train wreck. Would not let my kids watch this.
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AGE
Only for mature teens and adults
i only watch it sometimes. you should be mature to watch it. some things have bad references but its just a reality tv show. and a lot of things on tv have stuff liek this in it
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| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Network: | MTV |
| Genre: | Reality TV |
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