Paramount | 2010 | 710 mins. | NR
I’m starting to feel really old. I actually remember the birth of MTV; a time when music and videos were the sole focus of the channel. As a college student when The Real World debuted back in 1992, I was a big a fan of the show. Before it turned into an alcohol fuel display of sex and debauchery, The Real World truly was an interesting examination of how seven strangers with distinct personalities would get along when forced to live together for several months. Of course, back then, reality television was a fairly new concept. Now, nearly two decades later, the genre is a cottage industry, seeming spawning its own brand of stars every few months.
Last year, MTV introduced Jersey Shore; which could be looked at as The Real World with a twist. The network found eight Italian-American (or at least wanna-be Italian-American) kids in their 20s. Putting them all in a house on the infamous (New) Jersey Shore, they turned the cameras on and let the alcohol-induced fights and hook-ups begin. The cast of characters includes: Ronnie, a dude from The Bronx intent on hooking up with a lot of girls; Vinny, a sweet-natured Mama’s Boy; DJ Pauly D, a hair gel-obsessed disc jockey who spends an inordinate amount of time in the tanning bed; and Mike “The Situation,” a guy who take great pride in his rock-hard abs. The girls include Angelina, the self-proclaimed “hot girl”; Nicole a.k.a. “Snooki,” a drama queen whose behavior threatens the group’s job security; Sammi Sweetheart, a fun-loving girl who sets out with the goal of “breaking a lot of hearts”; J-woww, who describes herself as a praying mantis when it comes to men and Angelina “Jolie” Pivarnick who is the outspoken one.
The second season finds the housemates hanging out in Miami. Despite protests from the Italian-American community, Jersey Shore was a huge hit. As a result, MTV couldn’t wait to get another season under their belts. Since it was winter in Jersey, they moved to warmer pastures.
I had only watched a handful of episodes before watching the second season of Jersey Shore. There’s no doubt that if you enjoy The Real World and other forms of reality television, this one is for you. It’s impossible not to laugh at these young adults and their over-the-top antics. On the flip side, it’s easy to see why some Italian-Americans would be offended by their self professed desire to be Guido’s and Guidette’s. Everyone involved is self-absorbed, and looking for action. When you’re watching Jersey Shore, be ready for lots of trash talking, brawling and sex.
Jersey Shore: Uncensored – Season Two is presented in full screen. Picture quality is good for DVD as one would expect. Wisely, Paramount opted to put four episodes per disc instead of trying to squash seven of them per disc. Audio quality is solid. Dialogue and music are clear and understandable. Only when Sammi and Ronnie are together whispering, do things get a bit muffled. However, for the most part, things sound good.
We get the following special features:
CAST INTERVIEWS – (20:15) The cast discusses their experiences in season 2.
GTL MIAMI – (5:26) The guys of Jersey Shore give us a tour of the gym, tanning shop and laundry they frequented in South Beach.
Jersey Shore: The Reunion – (40:01) Julissa Bermudez hosts the Jersey Shore reunion special as the cast reunite after the second season minus Angelina.
After Hours: Part 1 – (21:31) An episode of Jersey Shore: After Hours hosted by Julissa Bermudez. Special guests: Ronnie, Sammi, JWoww and Snooki.
After Hours: Part 2 – (21:31) Another episode of Jersey Shore: After Hours hosted by Julissa Bermudez. Special guest: Snooki, Vinny and Angelina.
Extended Scenes – Featuring extended scenes for “The Note” (6:53) and “Angelina’s Goodbye” (5:23).
Season 3 Sneak Peek – (4:54) A preview of season three of Jersey Shore and introducing a new roommate named Deena.
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