Last month, we learned that The Hills: New Beginnings was all set to resume filming for Season 2 after production.
We hae bad news: MTV has called it off, putting the show in limbo indefinitely.
As you may recall, the The Hills revival was three episodes in on filming Season 2 back in March.
Then, everything changed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
For everyone’s safety, filming was halted as millions upon millions of Americans put their lives on hiatus in order to remain safe.
The show’s production company, Evolution, took intense precautions as they prepared to resume filming.
Consulting with experts and making sure to abide by both county and network guidelines, they constructed a plan to film again with minimal risk.
Filming would have started within weeks from now — either by the end of July or in early August.
However, Page Six reports that ViacomCBS and MTV have informed the cast that they cannot resume filming yet.
They have placed an indefinite hold upon the show’s production.
Reportedly, this has some cast members furious.
“Evolution has hired an outside consultant, an infectious disease doctor, and a team that will be doing the testing,” an insider shared.
The source continued: “And, if need be, contact tracing — if someone was to get COVID-19.”
The insider noted: “They’ve been in touch with LA County Health officials on a regular basis as well.”
Production had all sorts of protocols in place.
For example, any filming location would be thoroughly cleaned before shooting began.
The cast does thier own hair and makeup and wardrobe, which would already have helped prevent unnecessary person-to-person contact.
“The network has not told the cast why they were put on hold,” an insider dishes.
“Evolution spent months getting ready to start filming,” the source notes.
“And now,” the insider laments, “MTV has gone silent on them.”
“It’s shocking,” the source comments.
The insider remarks: “When the world is starving for new content, they won’t allow ’The Hills’ to safely return.”
“Everyone is perplexed,” the source adds.
“The Hills is a flagship staple for MTV,” the insider characterizes.
“And,” the source affirms, “the cast is ready, willing, and able to pick up filming again with LA County signing off on it.”
“People are starving for content,” the insider says, “and they can do a ton of filming outside and in people’s homes without going into public spaces.”
Real talk? It sounds like this anonymous inside source is someone with production who hopes to apply pressure to MTV and to ViacomCBS.
They clearly want filming to resume, and are hoping that letting the public know that things are on hold will pressure the network into letting it happen.
While plenty of people want to see Season 2, we have to imagine that most viewers are content to wait until we are not in a pandemic, right?
It’s a little unclear who exactly is starved for content right now.
Streaming services mean that there are literally thousands of hours of breathtakingly good television to watch — and also a lot of bad TV.
We want to see The Hills and their latest nonsense, but not at the risk of any of the cast members — or their families — or the crew.