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Parents' Guide to

The Hills

By Jill Murphy, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

The Hills are hardly alive, but will appeal to teens.

TV MTV Reality TV 2006
The Hills Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 15+

Based on 8 parent reviews

dvdgirl
dvdgirl Adult
April 2, 2019
age 15+

Can’t get into it

I had the dvd but it seemed boring so it’s no use for me to keep it so I gave it away.
JessicaMonster
JessicaMonster Adult
October 21, 2013
age 13+

Perfectly innocent and fun teenage watching

I watched the hills back when I was 14, all throughout secondary school until it ended a few years back. I'm now 20 and have been watching all the series online again - due to nostalgia and because it's easy, fun watching. However, getting back on topic, is this program a risk to children? I'd say children in primary school (13 under) shouldn't watch it, but anybody over that age is absolutely fine. There is no swearing in it, and rarely when there is it is bleeped over. There is no heavily sexual content except for kissing (nothing unusual there). A lot of the episodes feature scenes of them socialising in clubs with drinks in there hands, but there is no obvious or outrageous drunken behaviour, nor is there any drug use. These girls are all well behaved in the aspects I've just listed. Yes I agree when people say it's an unrealistic view of life, but that's why it makes good television - it's a form of escapism and fun to watch. It's not like the characters are portrayed as spoilt rotten people, that get their own way at a click of a finger. They all have jobs and a lot of scenes should their climb up the career ladder and the perks of the job - Audrina works at Epic Records, Heidi at BoltHouse Promotion, and Lauren and Whitney at Teen Vogue and later on in the series Peoples Revolution. Although these jobs are unrealistic to the average young adult, they still show the cast members working which in my eyes, is a positive message for young girls. The series also has parts where it "frowns upon" characters which are jobless and in aspects unmotivated. Heidi's boyfriend Spencer is jobless and spends a lot of time doing nothing at home, he is portrayed as lazy and useless because of this, and the show therefore is portraying that having a job is a good thing - which it is. Therefore I really don't see how The Hills is a bad influence on young teens. It undeniably has lots of gossiping in it, and arguments - but that is all a part of life, and much of it young teens/adults can relate to (which is the audience The Hills is aimed at). I previously stated it wasn't suitable for people aged 13 and under, and that's only because they wouldn't necessarily understand what's happening, and may misinterpret some of it. But overall, I find The Hills perfectly innocent and enjoyable TV watching for teenagers and young adults (like myself!).
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Lauren "LC" Conrad has moved from Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County to THE HILLS of Los Angeles. She's settled into school at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), landed a coveted internship with Teen Vogue, and moved into a gorgeous apartment -- what more could a young lady want? MTV cameras following her around for her own reality show? To land on the cover of Teen Vogue herself? Check and check. Typical trials ensue with LC's new friends Heidi, Audrina, Whitney, and Jordan, but the girls' dialogue plays second fiddle to extreme close-ups, exaggerated exhales, and glares.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8 ):
Kids say (4 ):

It's the effortless perfection of LC's life that makes The Hills such an unrealistic take on reality. No mention is made of the often-grueling college- or internship-application process. Rather, the head of FIDM congratulates LC for bringing her 3.6 GPA to the school, and her two-minute interview with the Teen Vogue editor -- though bumpy -- lands her a high-profile internship.

The Hills is like the pages of a magazine, with pouting teens looking distraught in between sexualized images. That said, MTV does deserve some credit for featuring someone with somewhat-relatable career goals -- unlike the subjects on The Real World. The Hills' best player, Whitney -- originally Lauren's fellow intern, now her boss -- gives hope to older generations watching the show. Whitney's goals and decisions make for some inspiring moments during the show, but, as per usual, the more insipid friends get the most air time.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what's helped Lauren get to where she is. Teens: Do you consider her a role model? What about the other cast members?

  • Why do you think MTV was interested in continuing to follow Lauren over other Laguna Beach cast members?

TV Details

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