The Hills (TV series): Difference between revisions
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| [[List of cast members from The Hills|Stacie Hall]] ||2009–present||5-present||Kristin's friend|| Credited as "The Bartender" before befriending Kristin. |
| [[List of cast members from The Hills|Stacie Hall]] ||2009–present||5-present||Kristin's friend|| Credited as "The Bartender" before befriending Kristin. |
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| [[Lauren Conrad]]<sup>1</sup>||2006–2009||1-5||Former Lead Role||Former narrator. Moved to [[Los Angeles]] from [[Laguna Beach]] to pursue a career in Fashion. She left the series to pursue different things. |
| [[Lauren Conrad]]<sup>1</sup>||2006–2009||1-5||Former Lead Role||Former narrator. Moved to [[Los Angeles]] from [[Laguna Beach]] to pursue a career in Fashion. She left the series to pursue different things.{{what}} |
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| [[Whitney Port]]<sup>1</sup>||2006–2008||1-4||Former Lead Role||Moved to [[New York City]], now stars in own spin-off show, [[The City (MTV series)|The City]]. |
| [[Whitney Port]]<sup>1</sup>||2006–2008||1-4||Former Lead Role||Moved to [[New York City]], now stars in own spin-off show, [[The City (MTV series)|The City]]. |
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Revision as of 03:56, 7 February 2010
| The Hills | |
|---|---|
 Title Screen Shot | |
| Genre | Reality |
| Created by | Adam DiVello |
| Starring | see below |
| Opening theme | "Trains to Brazil" by Guillemots |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 90 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 20-22 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | MTV |
| Release | May 31, 2006 – present |
| Related | |
| The City The Audrina Show | |
The Hills purports to be a reality television[1] program that follows the personal lives of several young people living in Los Angeles, California. The program premiered on May 31, 2006, and followed the personal life of former Laguna Beach star, Lauren Conrad and her friends, and their new lives in Los Angeles. However, after 5 seasons Conrad chose to leave the series, and it was confirmed that another former Laguna Beach star, Kristin Cavallari would replace Conrad starting in the second half of season 5. On July 16, 2009, Cavallari announced that she signed a contract for two more seasons following the fifth season.[2] On December 1, 2009, Cavallari announced on the MTV season finale that there will be a sixth season. On January 13, 2010, the cast began filming Season 6.
Entertainment Weekly labeled the show a "New Classic" ranking it 82nd on a list of The 100 Best Shows of the Last 25 Years.[3]
Overview
Background
After MTV's reality TV show Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County became one of the network's highest-rated programs, producers wanted to continue the story of one of its more popular characters, Lauren Conrad, as she moved to Los Angeles. After the cameras turned off for Kristin Cavallari, Stephen Colletti, and the rest of the Laguna Beach cast, those same cameras stayed on to follow Conrad as she pulled out of the driveway of her childhood home in Laguna to an apartment in Los Angeles. The cameras follow her, and her friends daily life and capture whatever unfolds – though (obvious) it was revealed that the series uses loose scripting for "production purposes".
Initially, Lauren lives with her friend, Heidi Montag, and they become close to new friend Audrina Patridge. Further into the seasons, Lauren and Heidi end their friendship after Heidi's then boyfriend Spencer Pratt spreads rumors about Lauren having a sex tape on the market. When Lauren confronts Heidi she stands by Spencer and takes his side against Lauren. The fights between the two girls continue through subsequent seasons, with Audrina providing a stabilizing influence in Lauren's life. While Lauren constantly fights with Heidi, she also makes time to attend the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, and lands an internship with Teen Vogue alongside new friend Whitney Port, as they together, float from job to job. Laurens best friend Lo Bosworth moves in with her in the third season, and becomes a factor in the distance between Lauren and Audrina. Audrina is in a rocky relationship with Justin Brescia, whom Lo has jokingly titled "Justin-Bobby". Lauren befriends Brody Jenner after briefly dating him, and makes a memorable trip to Paris. Stephanie Pratt, sister of Spencer, joins the cast in the third season, and later befriends Lauren, causing a rift between her relationship with Heidi and her brother. Whitney eventually moves to New York, and Heidi and Lauren had seemed to come to common terms in the fourth season.
Upon conclusion of season four, rumors were widespread that Lauren Conrad was leaving the show. Despite this, the producers persuaded her to film ten more episodes at the start of season five to settle the on-screen drama before being replaced by former classmate, Kristin Cavallari, for the later half of season five. The series still continues with everyone except Conrad, going into a sixth season.
Ratings
The day The Hills first premiered, it followed the season 2 finale of Laguna Beach, and viewership stayed relatively the same between the programs. Ratings were high for MTV and one of the highest for any cable network. There was a ratings dip after the season 2 finale as viewers reacted poorly to the developing story. From then on, viewership remained relatively steady. Ratings for the premiere of season four were down 9% among the 12-to-34 demographic (2.1 million) and down 5% among total viewers (3.5 million) in comparison to the show’s third season premiere.[4] Additionally, the total season 4 average was down 25% from that of season 3.[5] When season 5 premiered on April 6, 2009, both back-to-back episodes averaged 3 million viewers, which is lower than the season 4 premiere had last year. The season 5 finale brought in 2.7 million viewers. This was slightly less than the season premiere yet still higher than the season 4 finale, which garnered roughly 2.5 million viewers.[6] The new season of the Hills premiered on Tuesday September 29 at 10pm and had a 30% decline in ratings. It premiered with 2.1 million viewers, nearly a million less than had seen the previous season's premiere. Since its premiere, the show's ratings increased a bit. The second half of season five has averaged about 2.5 million viewers per episode. The show is particularly popular amongst middle school, high school, and college aged viewers.
Spin offs
- Whitney Port received her own spin-off from The Hills entitled The City.[7] The series centers around Port as she moves to New York City to work for fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg.[7][8] The series debuted December 29, 2008 on MTV.
- Audrina Patridge confirmed on May 28, 2009 on "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" that she too will be starring in her own reality-based program documenting her life outside of The Hills. Tentatively titled The Audrina Show, it will be produced by Mark Burnett and will air on MTV also.[9]
Starring
- This is the Main Cast for all seasons according to MTV. For a full list of current and former cast members of The Hills, see the list of cast members.
| Cast Member | Years Credited | Season(s) | Title(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kristin Cavallari1 | 2009-present | 5-present | Lead Role | Current narrator. |
| Audrina Patridge1 | 2006-present | 1-present | Lead Role | |
| Heidi Montag1 | 2006-present | 1-present | Lead Role | |
| Stephanie Pratt | 2007-present | 3-present | Spencer's sister | |
| Lo Bosworth | 2007-present | 2-present | Secondary Role | Credited as "Lauren's friend" from seasons 2-5 until Lauren's departure then as "Audrina's friend". |
| Brody Jenner | 2007–present | 2-present | Kristin's ex-boyfriend | Credited as "Lauren's friend/boyfriend" until Lauren's departure. |
| Spencer Pratt | 2007–present | 2-present | Heidi's husband | |
| Justin Brescia | 2007–present | 3-present | Kristin's boyfriend | Credited as "Audrina's boyfriend/ex-boyfriend" from seasons 3-5. |
| Stacie Hall | 2009–present | 5-present | Kristin's friend | Credited as "The Bartender" before befriending Kristin. |
| Lauren Conrad1 | 2006–2009 | 1-5 | Former Lead Role | Former narrator. Moved to Los Angeles from Laguna Beach to pursue a career in Fashion. She left the series to pursue different things.[clarification needed] |
| Whitney Port1 | 2006–2008 | 1-4 | Former Lead Role | Moved to New York City, now stars in own spin-off show, The City. |
1 Only members to receive star billing in opening credits
Seasons
| Season One | |
|---|---|
| Premiere Date Wednesday, May 31, 2006 |
Lauren's road to independence was documented shortly after leaving Laguna Beach and moving to Los Angeles with her good friend, Heidi, where they met new friend, Audrina. There, Lauren and Heidi intended to attend FIDM together, but Heidi unofficially withdraws to go work for Bolthouse Productions. Additionally, Lauren lands a job interning with Teen Vogue magazine, where she meets new friend, Whitney. Heidi begins dating Jordan, and Lauren's ex-boyfriend, Jason, follows her to LA in an effort to woo her back, and the two evidently get back together. In the season finale, Lauren makes a difficult decision. (more) |
| DVD Release Date Tuesday, February 13, 2007 | |
| 10 Episodes | |
| Season Two | |
|---|---|
| Premiere Date Monday, January 15, 2007 |
Lauren tearfully breaks up with Jason. Heidi's new boyfriend, Spencer, introduces Lauren to his friend, Brody, and the two have a short-lived relationship but remain close friends. Lauren still has feelings for Brody, but her friend, Jen, is introduced to him by Spencer and Heidi, causing tension between Lauren, Jen, and Heidi. Over time, Heidi becomes blind to Spencer's mischievous ways, and Lauren, who is concerned, subsequently turns to Audrina and childhood friend, Lo, for friendship. Meanwhile, Lauren and Whitney are challenged at work when New York intern, Emily, comes to help. In the season finale, Spencer surprises Heidi. (more) |
| DVD Release Date Tuesday, August 7, 2007 | |
| 12 Episodes | |
| Season Three | |
|---|---|
| Premiere Date Monday, August 13, 2007 |
Lauren gets upset when a vicious rumor about her surfaces, and she blames Spencer for starting it. At school, Lauren inadvertently befriends Spencer's sister, Stephanie, after she apologizes for chewing Lauren out for feuding with Spencer and Heidi. After a work trip to Paris, Whitney feels her job isn't what she wants, quits, and interviews for fashion PR firm, People's Revolution. Meanwhile, Spencer wants take his relationship with Heidi to the next level, but has a hard time confirming his commitment. Audrina rekindles her rocky relationship with former flame, Justin. In the season finale, Lauren makes a big move. (more) |
| DVD Release Date Tuesday, July 29, 2008 | |
| 28 Episodes | |
| Season Four | |
|---|---|
| Premiere Date Monday, August 18, 2008 |
Lauren is surprised to know that two of her best friends are butting heads. Meanwhile, Spencer continues to be a strain on Heidi, especially when Heidi's sister, Holly, chooses to move to LA. Spencer gets Heidi fired for drinking while on the job. In an effort to save their relationship, the pair unofficially elope, forcing her mother to voice her disappointment. Lauren has a huge rift with Audrina when yet another vicious rumor threatens a tight friendship. Additionally, Whitney's boss offers her the chance to interview with Diane von Furstenberg. In the season finale, Whitney learns the outcome of her interview. |
| DVD Release Date Tuesday, March 3, 2009 | |
| 20 Episodes | |
| Season Five | |
|---|---|
| Premiere Date Monday, April 6, 2009 |
In the first half of Season 5, Lauren's celebrating her 23rd birthday, and the uninvited Heidi finds out that Spencer spent the evening flirting with a bartender. Delivered an ultimatum, Spencer attends couples' therapy, tries to makes amends with Lauren, and proposed for a third time. Ultimately, Lauren changes her mind about Heidi's wedding invitation and decided to attend. In the second half of Season 5, Kristin joins the cast. Soon, she gets cozy with Justin & Audrina's not happy about it. Meanwhile, Heidi wants to have a kid & Spencer does not. Brody & Jayde start to question their relationship. And Holly, struggles with a drinking problem.(more) |
| DVD Release Date Tuesday, October 6, 2009 Tuesday, April 27, 2010 | |
| 20 Episodes | |
Criticism
On December 17, 2008 the Associated Press released an article titled "Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt nuptials questioned"[10] which noted that Pratt and Montag acknowledged that their wedding in Mexico was "entirely symbolic". The article also noted that a Los Angeles Superior Court official confirmed that MTV had obtained permission to shoot in the Beverly Hills courtroom, but it was after office hours and a county court judge would not be present. The civil ceremony was inaccurately portrayed, as well, because "if a judge does preside, it is typically in chambers during a break". The Associated Press also checked for marriage records, but found none filed by Pratt or Montag in Los Angeles County.[10]
Audrina Patridge's official website biography states that she was cast in her role as a new friend for Lauren and Heidi, as she was approached by a producer to join the cast.[11] During an appearance on Chelsea Lately, Chelsea Handler suggested that they improvised. Audrina stated, "If that's what you want to call it..." When pressed further, she replied, "We're put in situations where however we'd react and that's what comes up [on TV]." She did state that there were no scripts, and Handler joked that "if it is a reality show" that the cast has really good actors. Audrina laughed and said, "Thank you...It is a big compliment."[12]
The apartment community that both Lauren and Heidi initially moved in together was labeled as Hillside Villas in West Hollywood, California in the show. In reality, the apartment complex they lived in was actually The Villas at The Palazzo East at Park La Brea in West Los Angeles.."[13]
On a June 18, 2009 episode of The View, Lauren Conrad was asked how she felt about the apology she had received from Spencer Pratt involving the sex tape rumours. She responded "To be perfectly honest, I wasn't on the other line of that call...That was filmed and I wasn't on the other end...so I didn't know about it until--So, no, I never did get an apology."[14]
In the August 2009 issue of the Dutch Cosmopolitan extra light was shed on Lauren's exit and her reunion with co-star Heidi Montag on the fifth season of The Hills. What wasn't published in the July issue of the American Cosmopolitan, was that there were actually more reasons for her to end her run on the show than had previously been revealed. She claimed that, over the course of the filming of The Hills, she felt like being on the show had become more of a job than a thing she loved doing, as she had in the past. She said that she felt like she was living in two separate worlds. Furthermore, Conrad's relationship with paparazzi was becoming increasingly difficult, an aspect of her life not seen on the show.
She also revealed that, during production on the fifth season, producers kept on coming up with ideas for her and Montag to reunite. Conrad revealed she no longer wished to fight on the show and was trying to leave her friendship with Montag behind her. Unfortunately producers weren't allowing that to happen, until the point where Conrad felt producers were pushing her into directions she did not see as her own. She also revealed that during her surprise birthday party in the fifth season, upon seeing Montag she actually left the room with producers having to calm her down before being able to continue filming. This was not aired.
Kristin Cavallari, when asked about joining the cast, stated "It’s work! And drama sells. I think that’s why they’re bringing me in, because I know what works." And later said: "Its a TV show, why not? You gotta make it fun!" Also in the interview, Kristin stated "I saw Lauren at the wedding, she was really sweet and gave me a big hug, and that's it", when on the show, it was portrayed differently.[15]
Releases
Seasons 1-5 (Part One) are now available on DVD as well as on PlayStation Store and iTunes for download. Also streaming on Amazon.com.
| Season | Date Released | # Of Episodes | # Of Discs | Special Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Complete 1st Season | February 13, 2007 | 10 | 3 | Deleted Scenes, Interviews |
| The Complete 2nd Season | August 7, 2007 | 12 | 3 | Deleted Scenes, Interviews |
| The Complete 3rd Season | July 29, 2008 | 28 | 4 | Deleted Scenes, Interviews |
| The Complete 4th Season | March 3, 2009 | 20 | 3 | Deleted Scenes, Interviews |
| The Complete 5th Season: Part One | October 6, 2009 | 10 | 2 | Deleted Scenes, Interviews |
| The Complete 5th Season: Part Two | April 27, 2010 | 10 | 2 | Deleted Scenes, Interviews |
See also
- Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County
- The City
- The O.C.
- Living on the Edge
- Baldwin Hills (TV series)
- Harlem Heights (TV series)
- The Suburbs (web series)
Notes
- ^ The Hills - TV.com
- ^ http://perezhilton.com/2009-07-16-kristin-on-board-for-two-seasons
- ^ http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20207076_20207079_20207791_18,00.html
- ^ "Fourth season 'Hills' premiere takes a dip", The Live Feed, August 19, 2008.
- ^ "Hills Season 4 Ratings Down 25 Percent"
- ^ "Top twenty cable network television shows for the week ending May 31 , 2009"
- ^ a b "It's a go For Whitney Port's Spinoff".
- ^ "Kelly Cutrone Will Shell Out Dating Advice on The City". The New York Observer
- ^ http://remotecontrol.mtv.com/2009/06/24/audrina-patridge-is-leaving-the-hills-but-not-going-far
- ^ a b "Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt nuptials questioned". 2008-12-17. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
- ^ "Audrina Patridge - Personal Info". Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ^ "Chelsea Lately August 18, 2008". Hulu.com.
- ^ "The Hills: Let's skip the charade October 20, 2009". TVgasm.com.
- ^ "Lauren Conrad Finally Owns Up to Hills Fakeness". E! online.
- ^ http://remotecontrol.mtv.com/2009/05/15/video-kristin-cavallari-talks-hills-life-without-lc/