The Hills (TV series)
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| The Hills | |
|---|---|
| File:TheHillsLBLogoMTV.jpg Title Sequence | |
| Created by | Adam Divello |
| Starring | Lauren Conrad Heidi Montag Audrina Patridge Whitney Port Jordan Eubanks Brian Drolet Jason Wahler |
| Country of origin | USA |
| No. of episodes | 10 (Season Two currently airing) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | MTV |
| Release | May 31, 2006 |
The Hills is an MTV drama series, and a spinoff of Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, which follows Lauren Conrad and several of her affluent friends to Los Angeles, California. It depicts her new--but no less complicated--life after leaving her home in Laguna Beach, California for an upscale apartment complex in Los Angeles. Lauren struggles to balance her responsibilities as a Teen Vogue intern with her life as a student at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and her commitment to her boyfriend, while her friends face similar conflicts between school, work, love, and nightlife. The Hills premiered on May 31, 2006 , in the U.S., June 14, 2006, in Australia, June 21, 2006, in Canada and July 18, 2006, in Latin America. On July 31, 2006, it was announced that the show will be coming back for a second season, which premiered on January 15, 2007 [1] The show has been top ten in ratings for all programs in adults 18-24 and teens. [2] The theme song is Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield.
Cast
Lauren Conrad's journey to independence begins as she moves to Los Angeles, interns for Teen Vogue, and meets up with her then ex-boyfriend, Jason Wahler. After an unsuccessful semester at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, she is determined to make time in Los Angeles and at Teen Vogue work.
Heidi Montag, Lauren's good friend, appeared in the penultimate episode of the second season of Laguna Beach, helping with Lauren's fashion show. After living in San Francisco for a year, she moved with Lauren to Los Angeles to attend FIDM, but realized that school "isn't for [her]." She dropped out of school when she found her dream job working at an event-planning agency, but soon finds that it isn't the dream life she expected.
Audrina Patridge is Heidi's first new friend in Los Angeles and lives in the same apartment complex that they do. Audrina has a steady job, but aspires to be an actress. She is also determined to find a boyfriend that is right for her...
Whitney Port is Lauren's friend and fellow intern at Teen Vogue. She always lends an ear to Lauren when she needs it and has proven to be a trustworthy friend. But she eventually finds that her internship will require more than just sitting at a desk as she gets the chance to model on the catwalk for the very first time and has also gotten an internship in NY for Teen Vogue. She is currently single.
Former Cast
Heidi's ex-boyfriend.
Jordan's best friend.
Lauren's ex-boyfriend.
Episode Guide
Season One
Episode 1 - "New City, New Drama" - first aired on May 31, 2006 (U.S.), June 21, 2006 (Canada).
Lauren moves from Laguna Beach to Los Angeles, where she earns an internship at Teen Vogue and begins attending fashion school (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising). Lauren moves into an apartment in the Hollywood Hills with her best friend Heidi, a lazy, spoiled party girl. Alongside Lauren and Heidi is their new neighbour Audrina and Lauren’s fellow Teen Vogue intern Whitney. Lisa Love puts Lauren in charge of the VIP area at a Teen Vogue party. When Heidi decides to crash the party with her boyfriend Jordan, Jordan’s best friend Brian and Audrina, Lauren is scolded by Lisa Love for letting the four sit in the VIP area and also for the noise an argument between Heidi and Jordan caused.
Episode 2 - "A Change of Plans" - first aired on June 7, 2006 (U.S.), June 28, 2006 (Canada).
Lauren has to face Lisa Love after the events at the Teen Vogue party. While out at a nightclub one night, Heidi meets Brent Bolthouse, the founder of Bolthouse Productions. He sets up a job interview with her and of course Heidi skips class once again to attend the interview. Heidi tells Lauren she’ll quit college if she manages to get the job because it’s her dream, which upsets Lauren because the two moved to LA together to attend fashion school. When Heidi tells Lauren the news that she landed the job, Lauren is unhappy.
Episode 3 - "An Unexpected Call" - first aired on June 14, 2006 (U.S.), July 5, 2006 (Canada).
Teen Vogue assigns Lauren the job of delivering a dress to Lisa Love in New York for a fashion show. Brian visits Audrina at Quixote Studios and asks her on a date; she accepts. Heidi begins work at Bolthouse Productions and discovers that her dream job isn’t what she expected. After only one day, she considers quitting, but decides to give it another shot. Brian and Audrina’s date goes well, so Audrina invites Brian to hang out at her place. After Lauren arrives home from New York, she finds a message on her voicemail from her ex-boyfriend Jason Wahler, who asks her to meet up with him now that he’s also living in LA. Lauren ponders what to do.
Episode 4 - "Lauren and Jason, Take Two" - first aired on June 21, 2006 (U.S.), July 12, 2006 (Canada).
Heidi is still having trouble at work and is ready to quit. However, she eventually decides not to. Laurens agrees to lunch with Jason and the two talk about why they broke up. Jason wants them to start over again. He then arrives at Teen Vogue with a bouquet of flowers for Lauren. However, Heidi warns Lauren about Jason. The two go out to both lunch and a movie together, and Jason then kisses Lauren. She agrees to dinner with him sometime.
Episode 5 - "Jason's Birthday" - first aired on June 28, 2006 (U.S.), July 19, 2006 (Canada).
Lauren and Heidi buy $700 Callaway golf clubs as a birthday present for Jason. Later, Lauren finds out that she must assist at a Teen Vogue photo shoot on Wednesday, which is Jason’s birthday. When Jason finds out the news about Lauren’s work schedule, he becomes upset. Audrina goes on a date with Danny, who turns out to be not what she expected, so she joins Lauren, Jason, Heidi, Jordan and Brian for dinner. When Heidi asks for details about the date, Brian cuts her off. After the Teen Vogue photo shoot on Wednesday night, Jason picks Lauren up for dinner and the two of them meet up with Jason’s party guests at a restaurant. However, Jason ignores Lauren all night and when he asks her why she’s upset, he once again deserts her to talk to someone else. He and the friend get into a car with more people, leaving Lauren to drive herself home in Jason’s car.
Episode 6 - "Boyfriends and Work Don't Mix" - first aired July 5, 2006 (U.S.), July 26, 2006 (Canada).
Heidi is excited about her and Jordan’s six month anniversary as a couple. Jason apologises to Lauren for abandoning her at his birthday party. Lauren and Whitney are put in charge of a DKNY Jeans Fashion Show at Fashion Week. When one of the models doesn’t arrive, Whitney goes on for her. Heidi has to work the night of her and Jordan’s anniversary. However, when he visits her at work, she is talking to Josh, a guy she went on one date with before she and Jordan got together. Heidi and Jordan argue about Josh, and Jordan tells Heidi that she drives him crazy. Heidi then ends the argument by sarcastically wishing Jordan Happy Anniversary.
Episode 7 - "Somebody Always Has to Cry" - first aired July 12, 2006 (U.S.), August 2, 2006 (Canada).
Everyone receives the gifts they want for Christmas, except for Heidi. She really wanted a puppy. However, Jordan surprises her with a Chihuahua after all the presents have been opened. Heidi names the dog Bella, and Christmas is saved. Things between Lauren and Jason turn sour after one of Lauren’s ex-crushes calls her. While celebrating New Year’s Eve at a nightclub, Jason harasses Lauren and threatens to break up with her. By the end of the night, however, Jason and Lauren and Jordan and Heidi are sharing a New Year’s kiss.
Episode 8 - "You Can't Just Be With Me?" - first aired on July 19 2006 (U.S.), August 9, 2006 (Canada).
While out shopping for a dress for her twentieth birthday, Lauren, Heidi, Audrina and Whitney also try on wedding dresses. Lauren and Whitney are assigned the job of finding pictures of seventeen-twenty-year-old male swimsuit models for Teen Vogue. When Jason asks Lauren about work, she lies and says the swimsuit models are strictly girls. When Jordan criticises Jason and Lauren’s relationship, Heidi defends her best friend, which leads to another argument with Jordan. When Jason finds out the truth about the swimsuit models, Lauren is surprised when he isn’t angry. Jason takes Lauren to a hotel the night of her birthday. When Lauren says she just wants to spend the night with Jason, he keeps suggesting hanging out with other people. Lauren gets annoyed and says, “You can’t just be with me?”
Episode 9 - "Love Is Not a Maybe Thing" - first aired on July 26 2006 (U.S.), August 16, 2006 (Canada).
Heidi tells Jordan he needs to stop swearing at her, but he refuses to change. Brian suggests Jordan buy Heidi flowers, but Jordan finds the idea dumb. Jason suggests he and Lauren buy a beach house together for the summer. Lauren tells Heidi that “love is not a maybe thing”, to which Heidi counters that there is a difference between “loving someone and being absolutely in love with someone”. When Lauren asks Heidi if she is absolutely in love, Heidi admits she isn’t. When Jordan arrives at Lauren and Heidi’s apartment, Heidi breaks up with him. He tells her he’ll do whatever it takes to make their relationship work, but Heidi tells him good-bye. Jason admits he thought he and Lauren would break up before Jordan and Heidi. Heidi and Audrina vow to start partying more now that they’re both single.
Episode 10 - "Timing is Everything" - first aired on August 2 2006 (U.S.), August 23, 2006 (Canada).
Teen Vogue offers Lauren a summer internship in Paris. However, she is unsure whether to take the internship or buy a home with Jason in Malibu. Jason agrees to support whatever decision Lauren makes. Heidi admits to Audrina that she is completely over Jordan. As Lauren packs for the summer, Heidi is upset. Lauren gets into her car as Lisa Love waits at the airport and Jason waits at the Malibu home. Who will Lauren choose? She arrives at the Malibu house and shares the sunset with Jason. With Lauren spending the summer with Jason, it looks like the Paris internship is going to Whitney.
Season Two
Episode 11 - "Out with the Old..." - first aired on January 15, 2007 (U.S.), February 5, 2007 (Canada).
Lauren returns Jason’s stuff to him after the two break up. He asks to be friends with her, but she says she can’t. While working her new job at Epic Records, Audrina tries to call Heidi to ask why she now dislikes her just because she’s been hanging out with Heidi’s new boyfriend Spencer. When Lauren and Whitney return to Teen Vogue after the summer, Lauren is jealous when Whitney tells her all about the internship in Paris. Lisa Love tells Lauren she will always regret not accepting the internship. At the opening of Brent Bolthouse’s new nightclub Area, Heidi is assigned the job of hostess. However, she is unhappy when Spencer arrives with Audrina. Heidi buys a pregnancy test and takes the test- but it didn’t show the results.
Controversy
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 | This article's factual accuracy is disputed. |
There has been controversy over whether The Hills is scripted, or at least whether the situations that the cast members have gotten involved in were pre-planned in some way. Some have said that the circumstances on the show (for instance, the cast members' personal and scheduling conflicts, or Lauren having gotten an internship at Teen Vogue with minimal experience) seem implausible. One TV critic wrote that "the situations and dialogue come straight from a page." [3] People associated with the show have denied this; the editor at Teen Vogue has said that Lauren was qualified for the job, and Lauren herself has claimed she "can't even read a script". [4] However, many of Lauren's driving scenes seem planned as they often feature various shots from alternate angles covering her journey, and the show contains many possible "half-truths." The apartment complex where the cast lived is rumored not to be the Hillside Villas but the Park La Brea, and Heidi is said to be an intern, not a full-time employee, at Bolthouse Productions. The casting itself may also be questionable. Whitney is said to be a college roommate of Laguna Beach star Christina Schuller, while Brian worked on another MTV show called Damage Control, raising suspicions that they were cast not as "real people," but because they were already familiar to MTV.