Two hundred and fifteen ninth grade students were surveyed to examine the relationship between television use and gender role attitudes and behavior in dating situations. Findings indicate the existence of a relationship between watching "romantic" television programming and having more traditional gender role attitudes in dating situations. However, watching non-romantic television dramas and thinking television was realistic, was related to having less traditional dating role attitudes. In addition, watching soap operas was related to a younger age of dating initiation and a greater number of dating partners. These results suggest that along with their own experiences in dating peers, adolescents may be learning from television programs that dating is a gendered process with prescribed roles for males and females, an attitude connected with greater sexual risk for young women.