Parents' Guide to Real Chance of Love

TV VH1 Reality TV 2008
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Common Sense Media Review

Melissa Camacho By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Reality dating show is bawdy and sexist. No kids.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 10+

Based on 4 parent reviews

age 12+

Based on 2 kid reviews

What's the Story?

REAL CHANCE OF LOVE -- another installment in VH1's "of Love" franchise -- features I Love New York rejects Real and Chance (aka The Stallionaires) as they once again look for love. This time the tight-knit brothers get to choose from a group of enthusiastic female contestants who are willing to do whatever it takes to win them over. After a preliminary elimination, seven women are chosen to compete for Real and seven others to vie for Chance. Both groups move into the brothers' ranch and compete in challenges for chances to go on individual dates and prove that they're "the one." Ladies who fail to impress get sent home packing as each brother tries to choose one woman from "the stable" with whom they want to find real love.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 4 ):
Kids say ( 2 ):

Like its predecessors, Real Chance of Love is packed with the same kind of over-the-top behavior -- including non-stop cat fights, lots of drinking, and aggressive sexual behavior -- that has become a trademark of this specific reality-show formula. Adding to this is the way the brothers objectify the female contestants, especially when the guys take turns selecting the women who will actually compete for their attention (a moment that's ironically symbolized by hanging a large chain around each woman's neck).

But, really, the worst part of the show is the women's willingness to put themselves in the position to be objectified in the first place. The series will offer some guilty pleasure to adults who find this kind of TV experience entertaining, but its very iffy content and the negative messages it sends about women and relationships make it a poor choice for kids.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why people go on reality dating shows. Are they genuinely trying to win the hearts of people they've just met, or is this just a chance to get some media exposure? Do you think the people on these shows would behave differently if they weren't on TV? Families can also discuss the series' "formula." Why has this type of reality show become popular? Are these shows just sources of guilty pleasure, or do they offer something else to those who watch them?

TV Details

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