Common Sense Media Review
Boundary-pushing reality TV for mature audiences.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
BET's popular reality show follows eight students as they navigate schoolwork and their personal lives while living in fancy digs reminiscent of the homes in MTV's The Real World. Like its relatives The Real World, Temptation Island, and The Surreal Life, College Hill takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes tour of what ensues when eight strangers are picked to live together under the same roof. Along with the requisite temper tantrums, flirting, and jealousy, the producers also provide their audience with heated late-night arguments, spontaneous hook-ups, and secrets spilled while soaking in the hot tub.
Is It Any Good?
There's a reason why reality TV has become such a phenomenon: It's titillating and just raw enough to keep viewers coming back for more. College Hill is no exception. The characters' strong personalities make for an engrossing half-hour in which themes endemic to the African-American college experience are explored (that alone raises it above the pointless chaos of The Real World). Still, the subject matter and potty talk in each episode definitely isn't fare for younger teens.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what to expect in college. Do you think this series is an accurate picture of what college will be like? How can students balance relationships, friends, and their studies? How do you go about maintaining boundaries in a communal living situation?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 28, 2004
- Cast : Idesha Browne , Ja'ron Thompson , Willie Macc
- Network : BET
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 14, 2020
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