Parents' Guide to

Made in Staten Island

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Standard reality show has tough characters, violent themes.

TV MTV Reality TV 2019
Made in Staten Island Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Made in Staten Island TV Series: A smiling young woman in front of a bridge backdrop
  • Made in Staten Island TV Series: A young man in a tank top and a young woman in a pink crop top hold hands
  • Made in Staten Island TV Series: A young man looking thoughtful

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What's the Story?

MADE IN STATEN ISLAND is a reality show about a group of young adults and their families on the South Side of Staten Island trying to go from the street life to living the straight and narrow. It features Karina Seabrook, the granddaughter of mobster Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano; her boyfriend, Paulie Fusco, a young man who dreams big while trying to stay out of trouble; tough girl Kayla Gonzalez, whose street fighting has left her in legal trouble; and Christian "C.P." Patterson, who, thanks to his bad temper, is facing assault charges and may end up in prison like his father. It also features twins Taylor and Joe O'Toole, who are fighting their own demons while trying to stay out of trouble, and Dennie Augustine, a lively partyer who also serves as the voice of reason. But as they try to start new chapters in their lives, they can't (and won't) completely let go of the Staten Island lifestyle they've always lived.

Is It Any Good?

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

This stereotypical series sends mixed messages when it comes to the idea of these young people trying to break free from their current ways of life. While some are pursuing an education as a way of improving their lives, others express the desire to improve but keep making poor decisions when it comes to threatening violence, fighting, street hustling, and other poor choices.

Some will recognize a few of the Made in Staten Island cast members, thanks to their appearances on other reality shows like Promposal and Mob Wives, the latter of which only serves to perpetuate common generalizations about people who live in Staten Island. The combination of all of these things makes it hard to take these young adults, or their desire to make real changes, seriously.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the reasons young people may choose to engage in dangerous or criminal behaviors. Does poverty drive them to do it? Or is it something else?

  • How successful is Made in Staten Island at highlighting the efforts of young people to improve their lives? Is this what the show is really about?

TV Details

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