Parents' Guide to

How to Get the Guy

By Lucy Maher, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Reality TV by way of a self-help book; teens OK.

TV ABC Reality TV 2006
How to Get the Guy Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

In ABC's HOW TO GET THE GUY, relationship counselors teach four women the art of attracting and landing a mate. Bubbly Anne, \"the girl next door,\" has trouble letting guys know she's open to their advances, while Kris, \"the party girl,\" drinks too much and, as a result, sabotages her chances of making a good impression. Michelle, \"the career girl,\" is so certain about what kind of guy she wants that she's closed to unexpected possibilities, and Alyssa, \"the dreamer,\" only seems to date guys within her social circle. Guiding the foursome are Love Coaches JD and Teresa, who give a he said/she said perspective and literally create situations -- from parties loaded with single men to bookstore visits in which Anne must make eye contact with nearby male shoppers -- in which the women can implement the lessons they're learning.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

While the show's title might make viewers think they're in for a repeat of The Bachelor, How to Get the Guy is anything but. Audiences will empathize with the four women looking for love. They're dynamic, smart, and endearing, as are JD and Teresa, who have only the group's best interests in mind.

How to Get the Guy takes what's good about reality television and a smart documentary and mixes them to create a positive dating show. The only drawback (besides the fact that the women are buttonholed into character archetypes) is that the dating situations familiar to countless twenty and thirtysomethings might fly over the heads of younger viewers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it's like to date. What can teens expect when they start dating? How should you act on a date? Do teens think they'd turn to someone else (a Web site, a matchmaker, reality TV) to help them find a significant other? What do they think of people who do?

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.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate