Parents' Guide to

Secret Girlfriend

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Raunchy comedy series relies on sex and dumb stunts.

TV Comedy Central Comedy 2009
Secret Girlfriend Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Plague
Plague Parent
December 3, 2009
age 13+

Secret Girlfriend

Its an ok show is your day is boring or is you had a crappy day at work/school. Other than that, its pretty pointless.
Human
Human Parent of 2 and 17-year-old
November 17, 2009
age 2+

nothing wrong with anything

an absolutely perfect kids show.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

An unseen single guy is trying to keep his new relationship on the down-low in SECRET GIRLFRIEND, a comedy based on a series that previously aired on the Internet. His primary goal, of course, is making sure that his unbalanced ex, Mandy (Alexis Krause), doesn't find out that he's now dating Jessica (Sara Fletcher). But since he's receiving texts (and sexual advances) from both women, it's complicated. His two best friends, Sam (Michael Blaiklock) and Phil (Derek Miller) don't make his life any easier with their never-ending schemes to get drunk, have sex, and get famous via a string of self-produced viral videos.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (3):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Apparently, Comedy Central picked up Secret Girlfriend because it did well on the web, where (according to its production company) it "probably got a million" views. Still, it's hard to believe that the show will find the same success on television. It does stand out for using an unusual convention: having all of the actors talk into the camera as if it were the main character, which supposedly allows the viewer to "become" part of the story. But it's a gimmick that gets old fast -- and in the end, the show just isn't that funny.

That said, parents should be warned that the show's immature antics will probably appeal to teenage boys, who are more likely than most to find these guys (who hold auditions in their apartment for unpaid "acting" gigs that require nudity and gorge on mac 'n' cheese from the local strip joint's all-you-can-eat buffet) amusing. But having your teens become part of this particular story? Well, it's the last thing most moms and dads would want.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether this show offers a realistic depiction of male behavior, particularly when it comes to sex. Do most twentysomething men act this way when they're hanging out together? Does the series glorify their behavior?

  • How are women portrayed on the show?

  • What do you think about the creators' decision to keep the main character off camera? Why do you think they made that choice? Does it work?

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.

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