Parents' Guide to

The Hard Times of RJ Berger

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Bawdy series centers on a teen with a plus-sized "package."

TV MTV Comedy 2010
The Hard Times of RJ Berger Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 15+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 13+

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
age 16+
I saw a few minutes of this show the other night and I was seriously appalled. It does play pretty late at night but kids are staying up later right now because school is out. I dont think anyone should watch this show especially teenagers, its just disgusting and it presents bad role models for kids.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (13 ):

With the scripted series Hard Times, MTV is offering an antidote to its bloated menu of reality programming, and that's part of the reason it feels so fresh and funny. The other part is the whip-smart writing, with laugh-out-loud one-liners reminiscent of big-screen comedies like Superbad and American Pie. The difference here, of course, is that it's on the small screen -- and far more accessible to younger viewers, which begs the question: Is cable ready for so much raunch?

Execs behind the series insist episodes won't be "penis-driven," but that remains to be seen. Since it's set in high school, the show is clearly aimed at teens and older, though younger kids might want to watch too. The catch with Hard Times, then, is how parents will feel about its penchant for pushing the envelope when it comes to sexual content on TV. And chances are, based on what we've seen so far, they won't feel good.

TV Details

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