Southern Nights TV Poster Image

Southern Nights

age 16+
(i)

 

Drinking, sexuality, brawling in Real World-type setting.
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What parents need to know

Positive messages

This show takes a voyeuristic look at reality show participants partying, hooking up, and arguing. Expect stereotypes about people from the South and New Jersey, as well as plenty of mixed messages about what kind of behavior is appropriate.

Positive role models

Housemates don't always agree with each other, but consider themselves to be like close family (at least for the TV cameras). Some cast members fight (sometimes physically), drink too much, and engage in other unsavory behavior. Some also pray before meals and attempt to limit their cursing.

Violence

Arguments break out between castmates. Bar fights feature both men and women shoving, punching, slapping, breaking glass over people's heads, and other rough behavior. People are shown destroying light fixtures and other items. Bleeding is sometimes visible; injuries sometimes send cast members to the hospital.

Sex

Some sexual innuendo and behavior, including references to being and feeling sexy and promiscuous behavior. Provocative dancing is occasionally visible; scenes include housemates climbing into bed with people they bring home. Women are often shown in bikinis in hot tubs.

Language

Sometimes words like "hell" are audible; occasional curses are bleeped.

Consumerism

Logos for Heineken beer, Budweiser, and other alcohol drinks are taped over but still identifiable.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Lots of excessive drinking (beer, hard alcohol, etc.) at the house, in bars, over meals, and just because. Cast members sometimes pass out drunk and/or act foolish as a result of it.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Southern Nights features cast members from Sweet Home Alabama living in a Real World-like setting, with the requisite drinking and implied sexual behavior. The language is pretty mild (occasional swear words are bleeped), but the drinking, brawling (which sometimes leads to injuries), and other inappropriate behavior is excessive. Expect references to "one night stands" and scenes of people climbing into bed together (no nudity is visible).

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What's the story?

SOUTHERN NIGHTS reunites popular cast members from multiple seasons of the dating show Sweet Home Alabama so that they can make the most of Savannah's historic nightlife together. After failing to find love in the earlier series, 10 cast members move into a historic mansion and enjoy a luxurious lifestyle they've always dreamed of. While some of the housemates build new friendships, others find themselves rekindling old romantic feelings and reigniting old conflicts. Crazy behavior and drunken brawling also adds to the drama. It's never a dull moment as as these Southerners try to sleep all day and party all night.

Is it any good?

QUALITY

Southern Nights features lots of Real World-style antics, including highlighting unique personality types, endless arguments, and lots of relationship drama. The voyeuristic look into the more intimate interactions between cast members (and folks they meet outside of the house) also add to the show's overall entertainment factor.

There is some attempt at reflecting values that are often considered more "Southern" (i.e. conservative) here, including limiting the use of swear words and showing the group pray together at meal times. Discussions about the housemates being a sort of family are also frequent. But there is enough wild partying, drinking, brawling, and sexual innuendo here to rival other popular reality shows on the air, making this an iffy choice for teens.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about the housemates featured here. What about them appeals to viewers? Do you think the housemates are chosen because they possess a specific personality trait, or are they supposed to reflect a specific stereotype?

  • What do you think about some of roommates' activities, like their excessive drinking, fighting, and sexual behavior? Do you think they behave this way when the cameras are off?

TV details

Premiere date:April 7, 2012
Network:CMT
Genre:Reality TV
TV rating:TV-14
Available on:Streaming

This review of Southern Nights was written by

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

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