Feb. 12, 2025
Happily-ever-afters may work on the big screen, but for teens navigating the real world, love is not that simple. The romanticized relationships in movies and shows are shaping teens’ perceptions of love—and not always for the better.
The portrayal of romantic relationships in entertainment tends to be unrealistic. Characters form relationships rather quickly to keep the plot moving and maintain viewers’ attention. More specifically, the process of getting to know a potential love interest is often rushed or not included at all.
“The Little Mermaid,” for instance, includes the mermaid protagonist Ariel sacrificing her voice to experience three days as a human. Ariel must rush to persuade Prince Eric to kiss her. Otherwise, she will turn back into a mermaid and become the property of the sea witch Ursula.
Growing up, teens witnessed fantastical and unrealistic on-screen relationships. Therefore, they expect to find “the one” at a young age, get married early in their adulthood and solidify a perfect life. However, as this rarely happens, teens feel discouraged when their expectations are unfulfilled.
The relationship dynamics illustrated in the media negatively affect the way teens approach romance. Movies and shows encourage teens to develop habits like impulsiveness and materialism. Their example motivates teens to jump into relationships and expect their partners to show their love through grand, expensive gestures.
ILLUSTRATION BY MARIAH ALLEN
Furthermore, the media frequently exposes teens to unrealistic representations of healthy relationships. Their storylines feature heated arguments, which couples settle quickly. This reinforces teens’ expectations of quick and relatively simple resolutions to conflicts.
As an example, the Amazon Prime Video series “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” based on the novel trilogy by Jenny Han, portrays a wondrous summer characterized by intense emotions and dramatic love triangles. The show’s angst-ridden scenes set expectations that relationships should be tumultuous and that differences can be reconciled quickly.
Since the plot of romantic movies and shows centers on romantic relationships, teens are led to believe their partner should be their entire focus in life. Likewise, they expect their partner to make extraordinary sacrifices to maintain the relationship.
Instead, a partner should be a support system or companion who helps their partner become the best version of themselves.
Additionally, one must have their own identity outside of a relationship. As one’s teen years are a time of transition and self-discovery, it is especially important not to surrender one’s own ambitions for a romantic connection.
Movies and shows encourage teens to develop habits like impulsiveness and materialism.
It is time for the entertainment industry to turn the page in its depictions of romance. It must exemplify both the good and bad aspects of being in a relationship by showing the unfortunate reality of breakups and presenting coping mechanisms by which people can recover from heartbreak.
While the allure of fairy-tale romances is hard to resist, teens must recognize that real relationships require communication, effort and time.
By staying rooted in reality, the entertainment industry can showcase authentic characters, conveying the joys and complexities of real-life relationships.
