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Roommates

(Rated TV-14, Comedy, Starring Tamera Mowry, Tyler Francavilla, Dorian Brown, Where to watch: ABC Family, Online)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 13.

  • Is it any good?

    2.0

  • Common Sense says

    Sitcom's risque content makes it iffy for young teens.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 13–15

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The young adult characters often lie and misrepresent themselves to each other, and Katie's relationship with her boyfriend is more about sex than affection. Mark is so desperate to win Katie's heart that he willingly suffers humiliation for her. Premarital sex is the norm among dating couples.

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.

  • Sex:

    Frequent sexual references and innuendo are a main source of the show's humor. Terms like "getting some" and "it's sex-o-clock" are common, as are insinuations of sexual activity. In one segment, for instance, a woman's roommates find soiled tissues throughout the apartment after she and her boyfriend had sex there. Partial nudity includes side views of a naked man (though his genitals aren't shown) and women in bras and lingerie. Couples are shown kissing and fondling in bed.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Roommates

Parents need to know that the hormonally charged young adults at the center of this sitcom engage in plenty of sex-related talk (terms like "getting some" and allusions to recent sexual encounters are common). You can also expect make-out sessions and partial nudity (women in bras and lingerie and, in at least one scene, an obscured side view of a naked man). Little is off limits when it comes to sex, and the characters' romantic relationships are often rooted in physical attraction rather than affection. None of this is likely to surprise most teens, but parents will still want to follow up with their own take on responsible adult behavior.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the characters' situations. Which character could you most relate to? Why? How realistic do the characters' lives seem? Do you think there would be different/additional consequences for their behavior in real life? Teens: What are your life goals? Where do you think you'll be in relation to those goals when you're living on your own? How might you handle any setbacks you face?

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