Parents' Guide to

Dear White People

By Dana Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

College is complicated in series on race, sex, activism.

TV Netflix Drama 2017
Dear White People Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 16+

Based on 6 parent reviews

age 16+
age 18+

Funny and thought provoking with a some questionable content.

Great satire of issues of the black community. Many humorous subtle jabs at black pop culture. Most characters strive for growth amidst the realities of the real world and college life. Show addresses many issues such as: police brutality, institutionalized racism, black lives matter, white privilege, white washing, woke activism and sexual assault. Show has plethora of strong content: Profanity (particularly racial slurs) is constant along with sex scenes; ten to twenty seconds in length; not much nudity, but explicit. There is some marijuana use. A character has an abortion and shows no remorse; the ghost of her daughter appears to motivate her instead of haunt her. Homosexuality is a strong recurring topic on the show. Black male characters are often depicted in a manner that emasculates them.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (8):

For older teens not yet in college (and adults long out of college), this show offers a look at the modern realities of life for many college students. The main characters find themselves embroiled in some serious issues of racism, sexual politics, ethics, and social justice activism, all while their social media feeds are constantly updating them on what other people think about what they do and say.

Samantha, the host of the campus radio show Dear White People and head of an African-American student group, is a particularly thought-provoking character. She tries to hide a "hookup" relationship with a white male teacher's assistant; once exposed on social media, however, she eventually decides to go proudly public with her feelings. The constant cursing and sexual references throughout the show are a bit over the top, and they can be a distraction from Dear White People's important main messages. That said, this is a show about college, and overuse of swear words and sexual humor in college isn't a huge stretch from reality. Amid the iffy language and jokes about sex acts, Dear White People is smart, relevant, and worth watching.

TV Details

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