Parents' Guide to

The City

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Hills star moves to the Big Apple for more "reality."

TV MTV Reality TV 2008
The City Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

THE CITY follows former The Hills cast member Whitney Port as she moves to New York City to continue building her career in the world of high fashion. Cameras follow her as she starts a new job at the global design house of Diane von Furstenberg and claims her place in Manhattan's cosmopolitan social scene. She hooks up with former gal pal Erin Lucas while forging friendships with people like socialite Olivia Palermo, model Adam Senns, and new Aussie singer/boyfriend Jay Lyons. But Whitney soon discovers that being an L.A. girl in the Big Apple isn't always easy, and she must quickly learn to play by New York's own set of rules.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

Unlike The Hills and its earlier predecessor Laguna Beach, The City centers on a person who has a specific set of career goals, a willingness to pursue them, and the desire to expand her horizons beyond Southern California. But outside of this, the series offers pretty much the same plot lines as its two sister series: growing and fading friendships, romantic encounters, and contentious love triangles that lead to jealous fears and tears. And of course, these are all discussed during a never-ending series of meals in trendy restaurants, parties, and other social gatherings.

The heavily edited series succeeds in creating a glamorous -- though very sanitized -- view of life in New York City. Port's high-end job connects her to top fashion industry personalities, and she herself always manages to look like a fashion plate. Meanwhile, she travels in what appears to be some of Manhattan's hippest social circles, brushing elbows with musicians, models, and New York socialites. The show might offer some voyeuristic pleasure to teens, but in the end there's nothing very real about it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what makes Whitney an appealing (or unappealing) subject for a reality show. Do you think her success in the fashion world is due, in part, to the publicity she's received as a reality star? Or do you think being on a reality show has hurt her career? Teens: Do you consider Whitney a role model? Why or why not? Families can also discuss what it takes to work in the fashion industry. What kinds of skills do you need to work in a fashion design house?

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.

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

See how we rate