Real World

DVD Review: ‘Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season Three’ Continues Reality Phenomenon

BrianTT — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:28:20 -0400

CHICAGO – When most people hear that I’m a TV critic, they usually make a snarky comment about the disaster of reality TV. While I agree that a vast majority of it is nearly unbearable, I don’t think it’s fair to lump the entire genre into one negative bundle. It’s not surprising that I love the critical darlings like “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race,” and “Top Chef” but jaws drop when I try to defend MTV’s massive hit “Jersey Shore,” the third season of which was just released in an uncensored, 4-disc set.

DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0

What I find interesting about “Jersey Shore” is probably not what interests most viewers — I’m fascinated by these boys and girls who are the first generation raised in a post-“Real World” society. Those initial reality stars had an innocence and lack of awareness about the new form that made them relatable and identifiable. The cast of “Jersey Shore” know exactly what it means to be a reality TV star and so they play up their personalities to become superstars. They have moments that feel surprisingly genuine but they also know how to turn it up to eleven when the cameras start rolling.

Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season Three was released on DVD on July 26th, 2011
Photo credit: MTV/Paramount

The screaming, migraine-inducing residents of “Jersey Shore” are now uncensored meaning the endless bleeps have been replaced by endless f-bombs on DVD. This season features the return of the gang to Seaside, New Jersey, a new girl in Deena, and more relationship drama than usual (something the producers have said isn’t as big a part of the about-to-air season four on MTV). The formula by now is simple enough — booze, yelling, dramatic montages set to hit music, more booze, hooking up, passing out, etc. They’re not about to fix something that isn’t broken.

Special Features:
o Reunion Special
o After Hour Specials
o Extended Scenes
o Hook-Ups
o Confessionals

“Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season Three” was released on DVD by MTV/Paramount on July 26th, 2011 and runs 572 minutes.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: Ridiculous Yet Fascinating ‘Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season Two’

BrianTT — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 10:09:25 -0500

CHICAGO – There’s something about “Jersey Shore” that makes it unbelievably watchable. I’ll never understand why people have taken to the oversaturated “Real Housewives” franchise or the draw of “Hoarders,” but I totally get “Jersey Shore.” It’s difficult not to be entertained by personalities this larger-than-life and the bonus is that they feel as close to real as reality television has been in years. “Jersey Shore” never seems nearly as scripted as “The Hills,” reminding viewers of my generation of the “Real World” dramatics of the show’s first few years — back when it felt, you know, real.

DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0

But the kids of “Jersey Shore” are realer than real. They’ve grown up watching reality TV and if you’ve heard any of the newly-anointed superstars outside of the program you know that they know that this is something of a performance. They’re real but as much as that means having grown up in the two decades since the genre of reality TV took off. It’s unlikely that you can completely relate with people like Snooki or The Situation but they can still be surprisingly genuine. It’s hard to imagine life in the “Jersey Shore” house without a consistent migraine headache but it’s a fun place to visit every now and then.

Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season Two was released on DVD on December 28th, 2010
Photo credit: MTV/Paramount

Before you get too concerned that “Uncensored” means you’ll see more of Snooki or Vinny than you’d ever want to see, what’s uncensored here is merely the impressive flow of f-bombs. The group may be relocated to Miami this season but it’s more of the same on “Jersey Shore” — drinking, hooking up, fighting — the formula is simple but what’s great is how broad a demographic this formula appeals to. You can just enjoy “Jersey Shore” for the ridiculous behavior of its cast members or you can look at the deeper ways in which this show is going to change reality TV.

There have been wildly influential programs in the history of reality TV like “Real World” and “Survivor” and it’s starting to feel like “Jersey Shore” could be a similar series — the next phase in the development of the genre in that it’s about reality stars who grew up watching reality stars. The Situation is a performer. He knows how to walk the line between seeming real and being entertaining and it’s the performers who know how to do that that will shape this genre. Who knew a few horny kids from Jersey could have such a pop culture impact? Check out the latest release of this MTV mega-hit and see what it’s all about.

Special Features:
o Reunion Special
o After Hour Specials
o Cast Interviews
o Sneak Peek of Season 3
o And More!

“Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season Two” was released on DVD by MTV/Paramount on December 28th, 2010 and runs 710 minutes.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: MTV’s Controversial ‘Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season One’

BrianTT — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:07:11 -0400

CHICAGO – Maybe I live under a rock, but I must admit to being unfamiliar with the world of “Jersey Shore” outside of the occasional tabloid news item about a cast member and Bobby Moynihan’s now-even-more brilliant portrayal of “Snooki” on “Saturday Night Live.” When “Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season One” showed up on my desk, I cautiously approached the 3-disc set.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

Why so hesitant? Because I’m old enough to remember when MTV wasn’t purely in the business of turning nobodies into celebrities. Having seen enough of “The Hills” to turn my stomach and having been turned off from “The Real World” years ago, I recognized that the network just doesn’t make programming for me any more and I assumed that “Jersey Shore” would just be another piece of evidence in the case that the once-music channel now exists purely to prove Andy Warhol’s “fifteen minutes of fame” theory absolutely correct.

Being as unfamiliar as I was, I had no idea that “Jersey Shore” is basically just a riff on the “Real World” model — eight people who don’t know each other are put in a house for a few weeks, given a simple job to do, plied with alcohol, and filmed to capture the bad behavior. It could have been called “The Real World: New Jersey.” Except it wasn’t and now the “stars” of the show aren’t moving on a typical MTV reality way, trying to extend their time in the spotlight with personal appearances and demands for future seasons.

It’s instantly easy to see why “Jersey Shore” became a pop culture hit. These eight comically stereotypical Jersey guys and girls are kind of fascinating in their open-armed acceptance of what people think about the over-the-top personalities of their corner of the world. Some Italian-Americans were in an uproar over the attention garnered by these self-proclaimed “Guidos” and “Guidettes” but what fascinates me is that they bring them to life with such remarkable pride. You think “Guidos” are all about working out, self-tanning, and getting laid? Well, they are. Whatcha gonna do ‘bout it?

Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season One was released on DVD on July 6th, 2010
Photo credit: MTV/Paramount

And it’s that purity of behavior that makes “Jersey Shore” so often enjoyable. Are they just a bunch of kids with concerns no greater than avoiding STDs and getting fired from their jobs at the T-shirt shop? Yes. And should that simple a set-up be enough for a TV show? Maybe not, but life is complicated enough and there’s something oddly fascinating about watching people with relatively few problems blow their entire existences out of proportion on a crazy summer. Don’t you remember the time when there was nothing more important than what bar to hit on a Friday night? Don’t you wish you could go back to that sometimes? “Jersey Shore” is escapism in that as much as we laugh at over-the-top personalities like a grown man who calls himself “The Situation,” we kind of all wish we could hang with him on the “Jersey Shore” too.

Oh, and “Snooki” is one of the most fascinating reality stars in years. She’s amazingly watchable; at turns somewhat crazy and completely sweet. She often makes the show.

The “Uncensored” aspect of the first season release of “Jersey Shore” doesn’t refer to anything physical so don’t worry about seeing too much of “The Situation” in the rooftop hot tub. Naturally, “Uncensored” refers to language and you’ll hear “Snooki” drop an f-bomb within seconds of popping in the first DVD.

And that’s not the only thing that will likely draw fans of the show to the DVD release. The special features are extensive with commentary tracks by The Situation, Snooki, and Pauly D on several episodes. You know that the reality TV craze has reached extreme levels when people are commenting on their own lives. It’s like a commentary on your home movies.

Other special features include deleted scenes, the reunion special, “Tips From The Situation and Snooki,” “Before the Shore,” and the great “Jersey Shore Makeover with Michael Cera.”

If you think that DVD reviews should primarily focus on whether or not a release appeals to the fans of the show or film, “Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season One” is an undeniable success with great special features and scandalously uncensored versions of the fan favorite. Forget “The Real World.” We’ll take “Jersey Shore.”

“Jersey Shore Uncensored: Season One” was released on DVD by MTV/Paramount on July 6th, 2010 and runs 487 minutes.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com