So The Hills is Sort of Scripted … Does Anyone Care?
An storm of controversy is brewing around The Hills.
Some sloppy editing in recent episodes, reported in several newspapers and celebrity news blogs, have raised the question of whether the show is staged.
Then last week, an online exposé by star Lauren Conrad’s one-time date, Gavin Beasley, sent millions Hills fans into a tizzy trying to figure it out.
MTV has always ‘fessed to doing “pickup shots,” staged scenes that address issues of continuity, but not storylines. But in an interview last week, Beasley divulged the high level of manipulation that goes on in The Hills.
The revelations of Gavin Beasley are perhaps the most incriminating to surface s far supporting the (fairly obvious) allegation that at least a good part of The Hills‘ drama is largely manufactured by MTV and its producers.
Beasley divulged some details regarding his cameo, including how producers asked him to get Conrad’s phone number and told him what to ask her.
“They wanted me to ask her about the runway show, how long she had worked that day, when would she get off, stuff like that,” Gavin Beasley said.
Thursday, an MTV rep responded that producers “overheard” that Gavin Beasley was “planning to ask Lauren Conrad out on a date.”
And while maintaining that the show is not scripted, the spokeswoman did acknowledge the producers sometimes help guide dialogue along for clarity:
“As there are no confessionals or interviews on The Hills to put the questions in context (as there are in shows such like The Real World), producers sometimes ask the cast members to rephrase to help tell the story clearly.”
Gavin Beasley had also said that producers set up a barbecue party for the gang, specifically so Brody Jenner and he could meet, thus providing the fodder for an episode that would revolve largely around Jenner growing jealous of Beasley.
MTV denied this, saying the cast organized the party.
Scripted or not, watching L.A.’s most popular layabouts bicker on The Hills has been the definition of guilty pleasure since its launch in early 2006.
You can’t write someone like perpetual backstabber Heidi Montag, who made herself extremely fun to hate during the show’s second season.
Montag, however, has been sidelined this season by a considerably more bland Lauren Conrad, so can you blame the producers for trying to stir the pot?
If producers are in fact helping some things along, though, why has this season gotten so boring? Sure, with former BFFs Conrad and Montag on the outs, the series has sort of split in to two so-so shows, rather than one great one.
Many believe that the producers also made the mistake of promoting Whitney Port and Audrina Patridge to being Conrad’s chief sidekicks. Unfortunately for them, both are more venting boards for Conrad than anything else.
But, it must be said, thank heavens for Audrina Patridge’s love interest, Justin Brescia (a.k.a. Justin-Bobby) and his Taoist sayings.
On relationships: “We can either kick rocks and be acquaintances … or let truth and time tell all.” Well put, Justin-Bobby / Justin Brescia. Well put.
Still, some suggestions producers for the future…
- As long as you’re manufacturing things, let’s not give the girls space. In the first episode of they year, Conrad and Montag got into a screaming match at the club LAX. That and their run-in at Ketchup ruled. More!
- Acknowledge The Hills‘ popularity on the show. Follow them to the clubs. Watch them address the press. Crash photo shoots of Conrad and Montag. And for heaven’s sake, get in on Heidi Montag’s and Spencer Pratt’s schemes and publicity strategy sessions - you know they have them.
I don’t even care anymore.
WHO CARES! THIS IS THE BEST SHOW MTV
HAS EVER HAD! YOU CAN’T FAKE BEAUTY,
MONEY, SEXUAL TENSIONS, FASHIONS….
SOUNDING LIKE ANOTHER FAMOUS TV SHOW?
YEP “THE HILLS” IS THE 21st. CENTURY VERSION
OF “SEX IN THE CITY”.
AND THE MUSIC THEY HAVE ON THERE IS
AWESOME!!!! GO LAUREN!!!
I agree.
I like your idea for turning the Hills into more of a behind the scenes show. I think it would be fascinating to watch Lauren and Heidi try to get actual jobs, on their own professional merits.
The show seemed so scripted to me that it never ever occured to me it was supposed to be real! I’d love to see what kind of work they do for this magazine.
What is the source of the doppler-like background noise. Is it generated by the sound editor or is it a by-product of shooting in a large noisey room. I ask because the same “woosh” effect noise is prevalent in other show venues like small quiet restaurants etc. A friend sys it contains subliminal advertising.
this show sucks bum i hat i dont care if tey go off the air. i deffiontly dont care they suck at acting and i think that they should all be fired i hat this show so much
The Hills is tolerable if you are completely bored, because what you see are a bunch of boring people moving around at slow pace. If it isn’t scripted I’d be shocked, because they all have that dumb look on their faces and say NOTHING. Watching paint dry or ice melt is more exciting. Maybe you have to be under 21 to enjoy it.
I AM VERY UPSET!!! HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO PEOPLE!! I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS ALL TRUE! SO IS LAUREN AND HEIDI REALLY FRIENDS OR NOT?? IS IT ALL AN ACT?? PLEASE RESPOND BACK TO MY QUESTIONS!!!!
Hi every body!!!! this tv show was awesome i haven`t evr seen a tv show like THE HILLS i was watching the hills in MTV FARNCE!!!and i couldn`t beileave that the girls were have this much beauty!!! I LIKE U MTV AND I LOVE U THE HILLS!!!! SEE YA!!!
i love the hills but now that i heard that some of it was scripted i dont know what to believe…ugh!
The acting is poor and if it is scripted they need new writers. They do alot of giggling & repeating each others sentences. “did u have fun? “ya i had fun.” “oh im glad u had fun!” “me too!” giggle giggle! How creative:-P
Omg! I <3 The Hills!!! If it is scripted i’d be so sad cuz it is such a great show! Lauren is my favorite! Ughhhh i hope it isn’t scripted!!!
It’s not scripted? I thought it was a scripted show with sucky actors. Actually, thinking that it might possibly be “reality” doesn’t really make it better for me - most of the conversations are boring and robotic. If it’s scripted then the writers suck and so do the actors. If it’s real then these people are the worst conversationalists on the planet. I’ve had more lively (and way more interesting) conversations with my dog!