Time's Up

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Time's Up
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Time's Up is a reality show featuring young adult couples as they prepare for long-distance separations. There's a lot of romantic angst, but aside from some brief scenes of hugging, kissing, an occasional lover's quarrel, and a bleeped curse word here and there, the show's content is pretty mild. Older, mature tweens might be drawn to it, but some of the topics featured here, like leaving to join the military or go off to college, will be more relatable to teens.
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What's the Story?
TIME'S UP is a reality series that follows couples during the last few weeks before one person goes away. Couples reevaluate their relationships as they prepare to leave for college, join the military, or pursue career-oriented activities that will create a long-distance separation. As they count down the days until departure, they also listen to the opinions of their friends and families about whether or not they should try to keep the relationship going. They eventually say good-bye, but not before deciding whether they are going to try to stay together or break up.
Is It Any Good?
Time's Up features all the elements of MTV's reality relationship drama, including sensitive music, lover's quarrels, and endless angst-filled conversations about how they feel about each other. But it also highlights some very real situations that young people face when they are transitioning to new phases in their lives.
It's not the most action-packed of shows, and some of the conversations -- especially those with friends and family members -- feel heavily scripted. Some folks might even cringe at some of the decisions being made by the love-lorn couples. But older tweens and teens who like this sort of thing will be drawn to it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about long-distance relationships. What are some of the challenges associated with trying to keep a relationship going from a distance? Is it harder for younger couples to stay together when they live apart Why?
Why do you think these couples chose to document their last few weeks together on a reality show? Do you think conversations featured here were spontaneous, or were they preplanned or scripted for the show? How can you tell?
TV Details
- Premiere date: April 21, 2014
- Network: MTV
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: February 26, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love reality shows
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