With tonight being the season finale of Jersey Shore, the so-bad-it’s-good MTV reality series phenomenon that swept the nation, it begs the question of what happens next.
Jersey Shore fever seemed to reach its peak just after Christmas and into the New Year. Its target audience was on Winter Break and could devote hours and hours to watching reruns and introducing friends to the sensation.
And then, they all went back to school or work and real life took precedence over the reality life Pauly D, The Situation, Snooki, JWoww, Vinny, Ronnie and Sammi were leading.
Sure, last week’s two episodes were enjoyable, but it seemed as though MTV had jumped the shark a bit with their previews as the most memorable moments – The Situation’s “rolls” insult and getting hit by JWoww – were well-known well before they were broadcast.
It could be considered the downside of fame. As the cast became more famous and the show picked up steam everyone seemed to want to know what they were all about. Events that happened in August and September were dredged up before they had time to air on episodes and things stopped being new.
Over the course of four episodes, the show went from ridiculously entertaining to ridiculously redundant due to fights.
Maybe I’m jaded, but the Snooki punch was a startling beginning to the violence on the show, Ronnie’s fight on the boardwalk in the next episode elevated the tension, Snooki fighting with the “hippo” and the “grenade” was hilarious, JWoww going after the Situation seemed unnecessary and Ronnie knocking a guy out in one punch was disturbing.
It’s still enjoyable watching the cast party, which seems to be about all they do other than fight, but can this style of show last past one season?
There is no inherent conflict on Jersey Shore, no reason for being. The Real World at least puts their cast members to work – which Jersey Shore did too, or at least they say they work at a t-shirt shop even though it’s been noticeably absent in the past few episodes – and Road Rules always had a task driving an episode. Even MTV’s new show The Buried Life sets a goal for each episode.
I enjoy Jersey Shore’s escape from reality as much as the next person. I’ll definitely be watching tonight and cheering the cast members on as they beat up the beat and creep it on the residents of Seaside Heights. I would love to go to a club with them and fist pump. And I’d love to see more of the cast, but what more can they do? As much as I want to see them all again, I’m worried a second season may seem stale.
Only time will tell what will happen with our favorite guidos and guidettes, though. Until then, we’ll have to enjoy the reruns MTV seems to run constantly.
And maybe we can all make it through the separation anxiety sure to be left in the wake of season one with some of the parodies people have made – Like the Little Jersey Shore.
The good, the bad and the really crappy 