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Parents' Guide to

Baldwin Hills

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

BET's look at class and race lacks real relevance.

TV BET Reality TV 2007
Baldwin Hills Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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not rated for age

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What's the Story?

With BALDWIN HILLS, BET adds another glacially paced docudrama about a group of wealthy Los Angeles teens (think Laguna Beach and The Hills) to the world of reality television. But this one purports to be different because all of the main characters are African American. As the show's opening voice-over suggests, it's meant to shatter the erroneous assumption that "all black people live in the ghetto."

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

The truth is, the lives of these teens -- who live in a posh enclave of African-American professionals known as the "Black Beverly Hills" -- seem just as devoid of real meaning as those of their white counterparts over in ZIP code 90210. Not all of the attractive faces featured in this half-hour show are the children of doctors, lawyers, entertainers, and entrepreneurs. But an awful lot of them are, and their pampered lives smack of certain privileges. Garnette (a type-A teen queen with aspirations of becoming a CEO) casually drops hundreds of dollars with her girlfriends at exclusive boutiques, while Gerren (a simpering model whom Oprah dubbed "a mini-Naomi Campbell") uses her connections to score one-of-a-kind club gear that barely covers her, um, assets. Amid plot points that don't really go anywhere and banter that's so banal it's boring, Staci (a working-class girl who lives in a poorer neighborhood, keeps it real, and buys her clothes from the bargain rack) is a welcome breath of fresh air.

While there's nothing truly harmful about the show's messages, there's nothing truly worthwhile either. Maybe the point of Baldwin Hills is to reveal that wealthy African-American teens can be just as vapid as wealthy Caucasian teens -- and if so, the show's a smashing success. But if that's not the point ... then maybe it just doesn't have one.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the show's messages about race, class, and gender. What are the relationships like between the male and female characters, and how are their storylines different? Why does this show feature mostly African-American characters, while shows like Laguna Beach and The Hills follow mostly white characters? Do you think it's a conscious choice? Families can also discuss the privileged lives that many of the featured kids lead. Does their socioeconomic status change the "realities" they face? What are some of the differences between the teens who have money and those who don't?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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