Kids Today: The Show Must Go On...for some reason.

This week I, along with at least a few other viewers, I'm sure, saw the first episode of MTV's The Hills: post LC, which originally aired Tuesday night on MTV at 10 pm. What used to be a show documenting LC's journey from a wealthy, sheltered suburb to the fast-paced unforgiving city of Los Angeles is now...well...the Kristin Cavallari and Audrina show. Which, is interesting, because Audrina is the least organic cast member on The Hills.

I wondered how this show would work without LC. If you and your entire social group star in a reality show together, and then you decide to leave that reality show, but continue to live in the same town...how does that work? Are you just not allowed to hang out with your friends? Can you frequent the same coffee shops and restaurants that you used to visit and just hope the cameras aren't there? Or maybe when your contract with MTV ends so do those friendships. Poor Lo, who had always been described as "Lauren's friend," now is described as "Audrina's friend." This made me feel kind of bad for Lo, since she's been around way longer than Audrina has...why does she still need to be described as someone's "friend"? And really, why do I still need a little subtitle with the character's name and the role that character plays at the beginning of every sing scene with that character? I think this really says something about the expectations of the audience for this show.

In hopes to distract viewers from the fact that LC is no longer with us, this show is being publicized with the new catch phrase (I'm pretty sure MTV made this up because I'm too young to remember that popular Elton John song...he wrote for the Lion King, right?) "The Bitch is Back," letting us know that we don't have to worry. LC may be gone but our favorite love-to-hate-her reality star is back! Despite the marketing, and try as I might to rack my brain for a time when Kristin was, indeed, the reality star that I loved to hate, I can't seem to recall a time when I cared about her. At all. You know who else I've never cared about? Audrina. But here I sat, watching The Kristin and Audrina show, and trying to figure out why this is interesting.

It wasn't.

I believe Qualler described it as "the worst half hour of his life."

Now, some of you might say to me, Brigitte, The Hills has never been interesting. Why are you still watching it? Doesn't it kill you a little inside to know that you're contributing to the Heidi and Spencer phenomenon and allowing them to continue their lives as worthless celebrities every time you watch them?

Sadly, even if I never watched another episode of this poor excuse for a show, I would still be enabling Heidi and Spencer to continue their 15 minutes of ill gotten fame because there's no escaping them. They're on The Soup, they're all over the celebrity gossip mags, they're cropping up on pseudo-legitimate morning talk shows, they've appeared on late night talk shows, they're...everywhere! And if I can't cut them out of my life completely, then I'd like to go right to the source and at least see what the fuss is about.

Heidi and Spencer are married now and in the market for a new home. Something modest, good for newlyweds...and something with a nursery!! Heidi has baby fever, and it's making me nervous. Please, please, please don't reproduce. Don't adopt either. Please. Just to prove that he hasn't grown at all and isn't ready to be a husband, much less a father, Spencer ended up buying a house without telling Heidi. Surprise! Much to his shock and dismay, she was a little upset about this. Their argument ended with emotional music (to remind me how I should be feeling while I watch this scene) and Spencer saying it was either his way or "the lame way!"

The season premier of The City was only slightly more interesting, and if these shows are in any way accurate representations of New York and LA, I'd MUCH rather live in New York. The people there seem to be slightly less unbearable. Despite disappointing first episodes, I'll probably be tuning in next week after watching Gossip Girl (which finally seems to be heating up!). If nothing else, these MTV series make me appreciated the art of a well-scripted drama.

This entry was posted by Brigitte, on Thursday, October 01, 2009. You can leave your response.