Reunited: The Real World

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Same reality show antics, just five years later.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that, like its parent show The Real World, this reality series thrives on arguments, partying, hookups, and struggles with emotional issues. Drinking is constant and often results in drunken silliness or confrontation. One-night stands are also common, as are scenes of couples in bed together or making out (sometimes in flashbacks). Some cast members are outright rude to one another, and angry confrontations about everything from which room someone will sleep in to whether or not someone forcibly kissed someone else are standard fare. Young viewers will get confusing messages about both appropriate behavior and finding respectful ways to disagree or otherwise resolve conflicts.

  • Participants come off as rather shallow and frequently wallow in petty issues. Even cast members who have supposedly changed over time seem easily drawn back into the reality TV drama that includes back biting, insults, cliqueish behavior, and drunken silliness.
  • Lots of angry confrontations and threatening behavior.
  • Lots of sexual tension, making out, scenes of couples in bed, one-night stands, cheating, etc. Discussion of sexual behavior, including homosexuality, threesomes, etc. Some discussion of forcible sexual advances.
  • Constant cursing, though most is muted. Words like "hell" aren't censored.
  • The Vegas series prominently features The Palms casino, where the cast lives. Other Vegas establishments, like restaurants and bars, are seen onscreen.
  • Cast members seem to drink constantly, often to obvious drunkeness. Some smoke.

What's the story?

REUNITED: THE REAL WORLD brings together previous The Real World cast members five years down the line to see how they've changed -- and how those changes affect their group dynamic. Despite the cast members' ostensible increased maturity, the same angry confrontations, wild drunken antics, and sexual tensions of the original series quickly emerge. The familiar confessional set-up -- in which cast members comment on their roommates' behavior -- is still in place, as are many housemates' catty, judgmental attitudes.


Is it any good?

 

Fans of the original Real World episodes will definitely be interested in catching up with their old favorites, but some will be disheartened to know that the elapsed time has done little to change some folks' problematic attitudes. Some do change for the better, but these transformations aren't as titillating -- and therefore seem to get less airtime than the same old petty arguments. For example, in Reunited: The Real World Vegas the original cast of seven reconvenes in their old suite in The Palms hotel and casino. Most are happy to see one another, though tensions from past events -- including a relationship that carried on after the show ended -- affect the group from the start. And while some of the cast members are still partying like their five-year-younger selves, some have moved on -- one is married and has two young children, and all but one are in serious relationships. So without the strangers-getting-to-know-each-other element, Reunited delivers familiar goods but packs a little less punch.


Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

Families can talk about the appeal of voyeuristic reality shows like this. Why do people watch? Is it to feel better about their own lives by comparison? Families who've seen the original Real World episodes featuring the cast can talk about how the housemates have (or haven't) changed. Is it more or less than you would have expected? Have you ever reconnected with someone and been happy or unhappy that you did? Have you ever avoided someone you recognized because you didn't want to deal with unresolved issues? How can parents help teens deal with relationships dissolving or transforming over time?


This review was written by Sierra Filucci
Kid, 13 years old
May 8, 2011
 
Don't

Flag as inappropriate 
Adult
April 9, 2008
 
jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 17 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Boring
This show bores me

Flag as inappropriate 

This review was written by Sierra Filucci
TV rating:TV-14
Network:MTV
Genre:Reality TV

This review was written by Sierra Filucci
 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
About our rating system
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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

 

vote now

Will you see Reunited: The Real World?


Already seen it? What do you think?

 

Been There? Tell us about it