21 August, 2008

The Hills, Or How I Learned About Real Life



The Hills. What a show. Kind of the Laurence of Arabia of modern television. Really award winning material. I know in previous posts, I've mentioned that I don't like MTV anymore and I don't relate to MTV anymore, but the fact of the matter is, I catch myself watching it more than I'd like to admit. It's kind of a guilty pleasure. I mean between My Super Sweet 16 and The Hills, I have a hard time breaking away to find time for other quality programing like Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Clean House and Split Ends.
But it's really the life lessons I am learning from MTV's programming that makes breaking away so difficult. I mean they are really putting out programming that helps kids understand what the real world is like and how it will be when they finally get out into the world. Lavish fashion parties, high end boutique shopping, boyfriends with two first names (Justin Bobby) and entertaining life-drama that makes you just want to run to your black Mercedes and speed away in tears.
I for one see The Hills as a parable for life. I'm not going to go through the specifics of my personal adaptation, but if you take all of the characters and put someone else you know in their place, The Hills basically plays out like real life. We all know a Lo or a Spencer. It's amazing how well it applies to real life! And once you start applying it to real life, then you can watch The Hills every week and stay ahead of your own personal life curve.
Now as fun and beneficial as this application might be, there are some down sides when you discover you are the back-stabbing Heidi, the cheating Justin Bobby or the flesh-bearded Spencer Prick, er Pratt.

Update: If you've read the comments on this post, you may have already found this, but my cousin Jen thought this post on NY Magazine's The Cut was applicable to my reflection on The Hills.

5 comments:

Jeff and aimie said...
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Jeff and aimie said...

Okay sorry for the first one.. I ment to say that I will see a new light watching the hills..Thank you for enlighting me on this breakthrough!! Tell kristen that I love her and Miss her!! I wish we lived closer to you two!!!

Aimie

Jen said...

Who am I? Please don't say Lo. Seriously, start reading the New York Magazine recap of The Hills on the blog The Cut. It's so effing funny and true.

Jen said...
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Kristen Tanner said...

lol, Who am I?