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Parents' Guide to

Coupled

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Another tropical dating competition brings few surprises.

TV Fox Reality TV 2016
Coupled Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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What's the Story?

Hosted by Terrence Jenkins, COUPLED features 20- and early 30-somethings hoping to find love connections. Twelve female cast members stay together in bungalows on the Caribbean island of Anguilla, where they wait for a man to be flown in to meet them. Each woman then has the chance to meet him individually for a few minutes to see if there's instant chemistry. If there's none to be had, she can pass and wait to meet the next guy. Those who feel a connection collectively spend a few more hours with him. At the end of their time together, the male cast member chooses two women to join him at a separate villa for another day of "dating." After getting to know the two of them a bit more, he selects one to live with him indefinitely in the Couples Villa and sends the other back to the bungalows to wait for the chance to meet another man. Those who are coupled must decide if they want to stay together during and after the show. Throughout it all, everyone keeps connected with each other via cell phone.

Is It Any Good?

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

The premise of the series is pretty unoriginal. It offers the typical, expected reality dating experience we've come to know (and sometimes love), with a tropical paradise, sexy bikinis, and lots of drinking. Adding to this are endless awkward moments, as well as the intimacy and expressions of love that come after about 24 hours of people knowing each other.

Unlike other dating shows, the women appear more supportive of each other, despite all of them wanting to find love from the same men. But while they get to choose who they want to meet at the very beginning, it's the men who are ultimately given the power to select who they want to be coupled with.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about dating reality shows. What is their appeal? Do people really succeed at finding lasting relationships by being on these shows?

  • Many dating shows like this one show people getting intimate with each other very quickly. Is this appropriate? What kinds of messages does it send about the role of sex in relationships?

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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