Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Online soap spin-off is racy and violent.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
PROM QUEEN: SUMMER HEAT follows up on Prom Queen, the online teen drama that followed the lives of a group of high school teens leading up to their senior prom. After that night's tragic events, Sadie (Katy Stoll) and Chad (David Loren) decide to take Ben (Sean Hankinson) to the Mexican border to have some summer fun before college. When they get there, they unexpectedly find themselves sharing a house with the catty Nikki (Alexandra French) and her cousin Mandy (Stephanie Furr). The group winds up entangled in a bizarre criminal triangle after Ben and Chad meet the mysterious Marisol (Angela Arimento). As they struggle to deal with the bizarre turn of events, they wind up reconnecting with old pal Josh (Jake Shideler).
Is It Any Good?
Unlike the original Prom Queen, Summer Heat's focus is more about the strange adult criminal storyline than over-the-top high school adolescent behavior. The show features some violence and suggests the use of torture. These moments are often introduced within a larger context of changing romantic relationships and sexual tension. As a result, the series continues to offer some guilty pleasure while trying to present a vaguely sophisticated (albeit far-fetched) storyline. You can catch up on episodes at the show's Web site; each character also has his or her own MySpace page.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the increasing popularity and presence of online television. Has online TV started to lose some of its novelty? Are shows created for the Internet more creative than what's on broadcast and cable channels, or is it more of the same? What appeal do online shows have for viewers? In general, how are Internet series and regular TV shows similar and different? What do you like and not like about each? Is this a show that could only exist online, or is it just a regular TV show cut up into short bits? Families can also talk about popular online social sites like MySpace. Why do so many people (including fictitious ones) create and post content on these sites? What are the benefits and dangers?
TV Details
- Premiere date : August 27, 2007
- Cast : Alexandra French , Katy Stoll , Sean Hankinson
- Network : Online
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : November 21, 2022
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