| The Hills | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Reality television |
| Created by | Adam DiVello |
| Starring | Final
Audrina Patridge (seasons 1 to 6) Lo Bosworth (mid season 2 to 6) Stephanie Pratt (mid season 3 to 6) Kristin Cavallari (mid season 5 to 6) Former Whitney Port (seasons 1 to 4) Lauren Conrad (seasons 1 to mid 5) Heidi Montag (seasons 1 to mid 6) |
| Narrated by | Lauren Conrad (2006–2009) Kristin Cavallari (2009–2010) |
| Opening theme | "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield[1] |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 6 |
| No. of episodes | 102 (List of episodes) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | MTV |
| Picture format | 16:9 480i |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original run | May 31, 2006 – July 13, 2010 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County |
| Related shows | The City Audrina |
| External links | |
| Website | |
The Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found in scripted genres such as soap operas. The series originally followed the personal life of former Laguna Beach star Lauren Conrad and her friends' new lives in Los Angeles. After five seasons, Conrad left the series and was replaced by another former Laguna Beach star, Kristin Cavallari, beginning in the second half of season five. The sixth and final season debuted on April 27, 2010 with the final episode of the series premiering on July 13, 2010.[2]
Entertainment Weekly ranked The Hills 82nd on their list of "The 100 Best Shows of the Last 25 Years," stating that the series was a "New Classic."[3]
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The Hills follows the lives of several women in Los Angeles. The series' four original starring members are Lauren Conrad, Audrina Patridge, Whitney Port, and Heidi Montag; Kristin Cavallari, Stephanie Pratt, and Lo Bosworth subsequently become focal points following the departures of Port, Conrad, and Montag. Despite being billed and formatted as a reality series, scripting was used for production purposes.[4]
After MTV's Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County became one of the network's highest-rated programs, producers wanted to continue the story of one of its more popular characters, Lauren Conrad, as she moved to Los Angeles. When Laguna Beach ended, the same producers followed Conrad as she left her home in Laguna to move to Los Angeles. For the first five seasons, The Hills followed the daily lives of Lauren and friends, documenting the drama that eventually ensues.
Lauren originally moves in with her friend Heidi Montag, who she met while attending art school in San Francisco. Lauren also attends the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, and lands an internship with Teen Vogue alongside new friend Whitney Port. Soon after, the pair befriend their new neighbor, Audrina Patridge. As the series progresses, Lauren and Heidi's friendship ends after rumors of a sex tape with Lauren and her ex-boyfriend Jason Wahler surface, a feud that will continue through each subsequent season, with Audrina providing a stabilizing influence in Lauren's life. Lauren suspects that Heidi's boyfriend, Spencer Pratt, spread the rumor, whom Heidi stands by when Lauren confronts her. Lo Bosworth, Lauren's best friend, moves in with Lauren and Audrina and becomes a factor in the distance between Lauren and Audrina during the third season. Audrina was in a rocky relationship with Justin Brescia, whom Lo jokingly titles "Justin-Bobby". Lauren befriends Brody Jenner after their brief relationship, followed by a memorable trip to Paris. Stephanie Pratt, Spencer's sister, eventually becomes friends with Lauren after joining the cast in the third season, causing a rift between her relationship with Heidi and her brother. Whitney eventually moved to New York City, and Heidi and Lauren seemed to come to common terms in the fourth season, though Lauren's suspicions still hung over them.
Upon conclusion of season four, rumors were widespread that Conrad wanted to leave the series. Despite this, the producers persuaded her to film ten more episodes at the start of season five in order to settle her relationships before her exit. As Heidi and Spencer decide to marry, Heidi wants Lauren to attend their wedding. After much debate, Lauren decides to attend the wedding and makes peace with Heidi in her final appearance on the show. The episode also marks the arrival of Lauren's high school rival from Laguna Beach, Kristin Cavallari, who catches the bouquet at the wedding. The season continues with Cavallari as the series' lead. She flirts with Justin at Heidi and Spencer's honeymoon party, which leads to a fight between her and Audrina. The enmity between the girls is a major plotline over the rest of the season. Also, after their wedding, Heidi wants to start a family while Spencer doesn't; this is also a major plotline.
The sixth and final season begins with Heidi's much publicized plastic surgery procedures, as she reveals herself to her family for the first time. Kristin, Audrina, Lo, and Stephanie spend the Super Bowl weekend in Miami, though Kristin's wild partying leads to rumors about possible drug use. Heidi and Spencer alienate their family and friends to the point where no one wants to be involved in their crazy antics. Meanwhile, Brody and Kristin begin flirting again, though he starts dating McKaela Line, who is friends with Kristin's old rival, Allie Lutz. McKaela befriends Lo, but immediately clashes with Kristin, with whom she and Allie had confrontations. Audrina dates singer Ryan Cabrera. When the relationship ends, Justin tries to come back into Audrina's life, and the pair become friends. Stephanie finds it difficult to start dating after her DUI, but soon meets Josh, one of Brody's friends. Lo is happy with her boyfriend of one year, Scott, and moves in. In the final scene, it looks as if Brody is seeing Kristin off to Europe and looking on as she leaves. With the camera on Brody, the Hollywood Hills backdrop is pulled away and the camera pans back to reveal that the entire scene was filmed on a backlot. Kristin hadn't actually left for Europe and gets out of the car that hadn't really driven off to hug Brody, warranting the questioning of whether or not the show was real. Brody stated, "I think the show has always battled with what's real and what's fake, and this ending was perfect because you still don't know what was real, what was fake and it's kind of like L.A. in a sense."[5] An alternative ending was filmed that included Lauren.[5]
| Cast member | Years credited | Season(s) | Title(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Conrad1 | 2006–2009 | 1-5 | Lead role | Lauren is the original narrator, moving to Los Angeles after starring on Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County to pursue a fashion career. Lauren had an internship with Teen Vogue before working at People's Revolution. Until the end of the second season, she was housemates with Heidi. She left the series after the first half of the fifth season. |
| Audrina Patridge1 | 2006–2010 | 1-6 | Lead role | Audrina is Heidi's friend and later became Lauren's friend and housemate. As the only cast member to star throughout the entire series, Audrina has appeared in more episodes than any other member. |
| Whitney Port1 | 2006–2008 | 1-4 | Lead role | Whitney is Lauren's co-worker and friend. In the first episode, she was credited as "Teen Vogue intern," and was then credited as a lead role. After leaving the series in the fourth season, she moved to New York City and starred in now-canceled spin-off series, The City. |
| Heidi Montag1 | 2006–2010 | 1-6 | Lead role | Heidi is Spencer's wife and friends with Kristin and Audrina. Until the end of the second season, she was Lauren's best friend and housemate. She left the series after the fourth episode of the sixth season, but was still credited as a main cast member for the remainder of the season. |
| Kristin Cavallari1 | 2009–2010 | 5-6 | Lead role | Kristin is the replacement narrator after Lauren left the series. She moved to Los Angeles after starring on Laguna Beach. She made for first appearance during Heidi and Spencer's wedding in the first half of the fifth season and was credited as a main cast member from the second half onwards. |
| Lo Bosworth1 | 2007–2010 | 2-6 | Lead role | Lo was a supporting role from the second through fifth seasons. She was originally credited as "Lauren's friend" until Lauren's departure. She was then credited "Audrina's friend" before being elevated to a lead role in the sixth season. |
| Stephanie Pratt1 | 2007–2010 | 3-6 | Lead role | Stephanie was a supporting role in the third through fifth seasons. She is Spencer's sister and was credited as such. She is friends with Lauren and was elevated to a lead role in the sixth season following Heidi's departure. |
| Brody Jenner | 2007–2010 | 2-6 | Supporting | Brody was originally credited as "Spencer's friend," then was credited as "Lauren's friend." When Lauren left the series, he became "Kristin's ex-boyfriend." |
| Frankie Delgado | 2007–2010 | 2-6 | Supporting | Frankie was originally credited as "Spencer's Friend", then was credited as "Lauren's friend." After Lauren left the series, he became "Brody's friend." |
| Spencer Pratt | 2006–2010 | 2-6 | Supporting | Spencer is Heidi's husband. |
| Justin Brescia | 2007–2010 | 3-6 | Supporting | Justin is Audrina's on-again off-again boyfriend, and has been credited as "Audrina's boyfriend" and "Audrina's ex-boyfriend." He is commonly called "Justin-Bobby". In the fifth season, he and Kristin had a brief love interest. |
| Holly Montag | 2007–2010 | 4-6 | Supporting | Holly is Heidi's sister, and is credited as such. |
| Stacie Hall | 2009–2010 | 5-6 | Supporting | Stacy was credited as "Bartender" when working at The Dime and "The Bartender" outside of the bar. She was later credited as "Kristin's friend." |
1 These are the only cast members to receive star billing in opening credits, and are credited simply by their first name.
The Hills premiered the same day as the Laguna Beach season two finale, resulting in roughly the same viewership between the programs. MTV's ratings were some of the highest for any cable network. There was a ratings dip after the season 2 finale as viewers reacted poorly to the developing story. Viewership remained relatively steady from that point on. Ratings for the season four premiere were down 9% among the 12-to-34 demographic (2.1 million) and down 5% among total viewers (3.5 million) in comparison to the show’s third season premiere,[6] with the total season four average going down 25% from that of season three.[7] The season five premiere back-to-back episodes averaged 3 million viewers, which is lower than the season four premiere. The finale of the season five's first half brought in 2.7 million viewers, slightly less than the season premiere yet still higher than the season four's finale of roughly 2.5 million viewers.[8] Season five's second half had a 30% decline in ratings, premiering with 2.1 million viewers, nearly a million less than had seen the previous season's premiere. Since its premiere, the show's ratings increased a bit, with the second half's viewership averaging 2.5 million viewers per episode. The final season beat the season five, part two's premiere and equaled season five part one's finale at 2.7 million viewers.
On December 17, 2008 the Associated Press released an article titled "Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt nuptials questioned"[17] which noted that Pratt and Montag acknowledged that their wedding in Mexico was "entirely symbolic." The article also noted that a Los Angeles Superior Court official confirmed that MTV had obtained permission to shoot in the Beverly Hills courtroom, but it was after office hours and a county court judge would not be present. The civil ceremony was inaccurately portrayed as well, because "if a judge does preside, it is typically in chambers during a break". The Associated Press also checked for marriage records, but found none filed by Pratt or Montag in Los Angeles County.[17]
Audrina Patridge's official website biography states that she was cast in her role as a new friend for Lauren and Heidi, as she was approached by a producer to join the cast.[18] During an appearance on Chelsea Lately, Chelsea Handler suggested that they improvised. Audrina stated, "If that's what you want to call it..." When pressed further, she replied, "We're put in situations where however we'd react and that's what comes up [on TV]." She did state that there were no scripts, and Handler joked that "if it is a reality show" that the cast has really good actors. Audrina laughed and said, "Thank you...It is a big compliment."[19]
The apartment community that both Lauren and Heidi initially moved in together was labeled as Hillside Villas in West Hollywood, California in the show. In reality, the apartment complex they lived in was actually The Villas at The Palazzo East at Park La Brea on Third Street in Los Angeles. The neighborhood is known as Park La Brea. It is not in the City of West Hollywood, but it is close to the city boundary.[20]
On a June 18, 2009 episode of The View, Lauren Conrad was asked how she felt about the apology she had received from Spencer Pratt involving the sex tape rumors. She responded "To be perfectly honest, I wasn't on the other line of that call...That was filmed and I wasn't on the other end...so I didn't know about it until--So, no, I never did get an apology."[21]
She also revealed that, during production on the fifth season, producers kept on coming up with ideas for her and Montag to reunite. Conrad revealed she no longer wished to fight on the show and was trying to put her friendship with Montag behind her. Producers did not allow for that to happen, to the point where Conrad felt producers were pushing her into directions she did not see as her own. She also revealed that during her surprise birthday party in the fifth season, upon seeing Montag, she actually left the room with producers having to calm her down before being able to continue filming. This was not aired.
Kristin Cavallari, when asked about joining the cast, stated "It’s work! And drama sells. I think that’s why they’re bringing me in, because I know what works." And later said: "Its a TV show, why not? You gotta make it fun!" Also in the interview, Kristin stated "I saw Lauren at the wedding, she was really sweet and gave me a big hug, and that's it", when on the show, it was portrayed differently.[22]
In February 2011, Kristin Cavallari told Access Hollywood that the cast would follow a "schedule" of events to be shot that day. "We only filmed The Hills three days a week, and we did three different scenes each day and a change of clothes to film a specific scene," she said. "They were pushing it as far as they could go without an actual script… They give you a schedule like, ‘You have lunch with Heidi [Montag] at 3 to talk about the party coming up' or whatever the situation may be.”[23]
The Hills premiered in syndication on fall 2009 alongside parent series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County.[24] Reruns of the show also air on TV Guide Network.
The series' sixth season was announced on December 1, 2009 during The Hills Aftershow. It began filming on January 13, 2010 and debuted on April 27, 2010. On March 25, 2010 The Hills producer and creator Adam DiVello announced that it would be the final season.[2] Filming wrapped on July 2, 2010 and aired its final episode on July 13. Despite much speculation from the cast as well as Adam DiVello concerning Lauren Conrad's possible return, the former series star confirmed she would not appear in any of season six episodes or the series finale, however it was confirmed that Lauren Conrad would be featured on a live special following the finale.[25]
In the series' final scene, Brody sees Kristin off to Europe and looks on as she rides away. Flashbacks to the beginning of the show are shown, and the camera focuses on Brody once again before panning out, revealing the scene was being filmed on an outside set at a Hollywood film studio,[26] confronting the common question posed by critics on whether certain elements of the show, or the entire show itself, were real, fake, or a combination of the two.
Brody later revealed that a couple different endings were filmed for the show, including one with Lauren Conrad. Of the scene, Brody said, "I [would] come back home, and basically Lauren's at my place [and I tell her about saying goodbye to a friend]. We filmed this whole lovey-dovey scene as if me and Lauren had been together this entire time." He stated he was happy with the chosen ending, however, describing it as "kind of like L.A. in a sense."[27]
Two days after the series finale, Lo Bosworth reassured fans on her website, insisting "it wasn't fake" and "our show's undeniable production value sometimes made the validity of it all questionable [...] but the relationships with those on the show are real."[28] Kristin Cavallari, however, stated that, "fans need to understand it's all entertainment" and "I would never put my close friends or a real relationship on a show."[29] When asked about the matter, Brody Jenner said, "what's real and what's fake, you don't know. [...] We left it [open]".[26]
On May 17, 2011, almost a year after The Hills ended, Kristin revealed in an interview with Ryan Seacrest that her relationships with both Justin and Brody on the show had been fake, but that she had dated Brody, "like six years ago".[30]
After the final episode of The Hills and the season finale of The City, a live after show, The Hills Live: A Hollywood Ending, aired to celebrate the finale.[31] The cast members that were present at the event:
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| Season | Date released | # of episodes | # of discs | Special features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Complete 1st Season | February 13, 2007 | 10 | 3 | Deleted scenes, interviews |
| The Complete 2nd Season | August 7, 2007 | 12 | 3 | Deleted scenes, interviews |
| The Complete 3rd Season | July 29, 2008 | 28 | 4 | Deleted scenes, interviews |
| The Complete 4th Season | March 3, 2009 | 20 | 3 | Deleted scenes, interviews |
| The Complete 5th Season | (Part 1) October 6, 2009 (Part 2) April 27, 2010 |
10 10 |
2 2 |
Deleted scenes, interviews |
| The Complete Final Season | September 21, 2010 | 12 | 3 | Featurette |
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