Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Reality series with irresponsible dating, drinking messages.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Are You the One?
What's the Story?
Hosted by Ryan Devlin, ARE YOU THE ONE? is a reality show featuring a cast of relationship-challenged twentysomethings hoping to find their perfect match and win a cash prize. After going through a rigorous matchmaking process, 20 perfectly matched men and women move into a luxury home in Kauai, Hawaii. The catch? No one knows who's been matched to whom. Each cast member must figure out who to pair up with and determine whether they're the right match. Throughout the experience, they play for perks such as getaway dates as well as chances to learn whether couples are correctly matched. If all 20 people find their perfect match within 10 tries, the entire cast gets to split $1 million.
Is It Any Good?
From following their hearts to shrewdly following their guts, Are You the One? contestants get to know one another physically and emotionally in a limited amount of time and within a manufactured context. But these connections can end quickly, since each person must be willing to switch partners and quickly attempt to find romance with someone else to find their designated match and win the money.
Teens who like this sort of voyeuristic entertainment most will likely be drawn to it, but like many MTV reality shows, it features lots of over-the-top behavior. But what's more troubling are the confusing messages it sends about dating and finding the perfect person to building a relationship with.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the reasons TV shows feature risky behavior, such as casual sex, excessive drinking, and other activities. What kind of impact does showing this behavior to kids have? Is it possible for TV shows and movies to be entertaining without showing these things?
Is being on a reality TV show a good way to find a perfect match or start a relationship? Is the romance featured on these shows real, or is it played up for the cameras?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 21, 2014
- Cast : Ryan Devlin
- Network : MTV
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 24, 2022
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