YAB Review: ‘NYC Prep’
Posted by meredith on 06-17-2009
Today’s Ypulse Youth Advisory Board post is a TV review from Alyx Steadman who caught Bravo’s sneak preview of the new Gossip Girl-inspired reality show “NYC Prep.” As always, you can communicate directly with any member of the Ypulse Youth Advisory Board by emailing them at youthadvisoryboard at ypulse.com…or just leave a comment below.
What was the biggest draw?
The premise of the show just seemed like something I would enjoy watching. My immediate impression was that it looked like a cross between “The Hills” and “Gossip Girl,” two shows that I adore. Besides that, the characters looked fun, and I was quite drawn to the idea of seeing what real Upper East Side prep school students were like. I only know what I watch on “Gossip Girl” and somehow I doubted that kids were actually that outrageous and enjoyable to watch. I am happy to report that I was wrong. The kids on “NYC Prep” are overly dramatic and beyond spoiled just like “Gossip Girl” making it so much fun to watch. They are terrible role models for teens, but amazing entertainment.
What did you expect going in? How much did you know beforehand?
I expected there to be drama, and, of course, there was. I just watched a preview episode, so I don’t know if they were holding anything back in the catfight department. Regardless, it was good enough for me to want to tune in every week just to see what crazy shenanigans these overindulged teens will get into. I didn’t know much about the show going in besides what I’d heard about it through internet advertising. I did read the character bios, so I wouldn’t be completely lost as to who’s who.
How did you tune in? Did you watch commercials?
I didn’t know when it aired, but I was watching an episode of the YouTube web show titled “What the Buck” with Michael Buckley and he said a snide remark about the show, and that he would be reviewing it in coming days. This reminded me to go to the Bravo website to watch it.
Sum it up
If you love “The Hills” or “The City” then you’re pretty much guaranteed to like this show as well, because it follows the same format. The main characters all happen to be friends and most of them go to the same school. A breakdown of their stories: Taylor (the equivalent of Jenny from “Gossip Girl”) goes to a high class public school, so she’s almost like an outsider to the Upper East Side kids who all go to private school. Her goal is to get in good with them so she, too, can be just as popular as they are. Sebastian (a mix of dreamy Nate and Chuck of GG) is a definite player, and that’s basically all that we know about him at this time. PC (no real connection to any GG character) is my favorite reason to watch this show. He is a rebel type, a heartthrob, and seems to wear plenty of “guyliner.” He’s not the nicest guy sometimes, but is trying to make up for it by reconnecting with his old best friend, Jessie. Kelli is trying to start up her musical career while living alone with her 18-year-old brother while her parents are staying in the Hamptons. Jessie (kind of like Serena in my mind) loves everything fashion, but her rocky relationship with PC is creating drama that might hold her back from her dreams. Camille (who is Blair-a-licious!) is studying hard to get into her perfect college, but in her spare time, likes stirring up drama for her entertainment. These guys are BFFs, but that doesn’t mean they’ll always stay that way.
Did you spot any brands?
I have not spotted any brands surprisingly enough. You would think a show like this would be putting brands everywhere you look, but I guess not. There is still some time to drop a few names though.
So, what did you think?
Overall, I found it very entertaining. It may have just been a preview episode, but I’m already hooked and excited to see more. The teens are witty characters who at times made me laugh out loud from some of their one-liners, such as, “If you were a veggie burger I would so eat you,” and the girl later responded, “If I was a veggie burger I would probably eat me too.” There is potential to make this a big new hit, if it’s approached the right way. I would love to see these kids end up big stars like “The Hills” cast has, but only time will tell what will happen to these rich teens (but truthfully, it’s not as if they need the extra money!)
Sorta Related
Gossip Hurl: Real NYC Prepsters Scorn New Bravo Reality Show [Wall Street Journal, reg. required]
About Alyx
Alyx Steadman is a freshman in high school in Montana, and loves every minute of it. He loves reading, writing, acting, singing, and being a social butterfly. In the past people have accused him of being a YouTube addict and a pop culture junkie (and sadly Alyx cannot deny these accusations). His love for teen culture has led him to many hours slaving on the computer soaking up every piece of drama Hollywood has to offer. In the future he hopes to pursue a writing career as some type of journalist. Excited doesn’t even begin to cover how he’s feeling to be in the Ypulse Advisory Board. “Today the world changes so quickly that in growing up we take leave not just of youth but of the world we were young in.”
Categorized under: TV