You can almost hear the conversations happening from coast to coast. “Hey, a new reality show about teenagers who go to a nice school in New York is playing. Let’s watch it as a family.”
Well, let us be the millionth person to say it. From every single perspective, there is nothing redeeming about Bravo’s new reality show “NYC Prep.” To say it’s awful television is obvious. Plenty of entertaining shows are awful. “NYC Prep” is morally sickening.
The show follows a group of teenagers, ages 15-18, who all go to an unnamed prep school in NYC. As an experiment, I watched episode 2, which aired last week. New episodes air Tuesday nights at 9 p.m.
For the record, these kids don’t go within miles of any school in this episode. What they do do is shop. And party. And go to the spa. And their therapists. And personal trainers. How and why do these kids get this kind of money and privilege? Well, we assume it’s the parents, but it’s never brought up.
In today’s economy where a large percentage of the country is out of work, we are supposed to care that Kelli – a junior – is mad at Sebastian – a sophomore – for dating her friend, Taylor? Well only if they are wearing $325 sneakers and $2000 skirts. (Actually, we aren’t sure if they are wearing these items – but we see them shopping for them and the prices are explicitly given). These characters are relatable? These characters are people we want our kids to see on television?
And if this show isn’t for kids, who is it for? Who is going to want to watch a bunch of teenagers say things like “Prep school kids in New York like to stay fit and in shape” or “It’s fun to sleep around.” No one. But let’s dissect those statements one at a time.
1. “Prep school kids in New York like to stay fit and in shape” – So I guess prep school kids are the only group of people who do that. Regular people, who don’t have mommy and daddy paying for chauffeured Cadillac Escalades, don’t. Actors don’t. Athletes don’t. Nope – just prep school kids who, of course, are better than public school kids as we are reminded of time and time again by their iPhones, Blackberrys and insane social lives at 15.
2. “It’s fun to sleep around.” - For a small percentage of the population, that might be true but is this what we want our kids to hear from the mouth of an 18 year old boy?
The person who said those two things is a guy named PC, an 18 year old senior/star of the show, who looks like a Gay Wolverine. He has so many issues he has to go to a therapist (which, he tells us, is common practice among…you guessed it….NY Prep School kids) So we see PC talking to his therapist. Wait, what? What happened to confidentiality? We are allowed to watch someone speak to their therapist? And even if we were, isn’t the privacy of it the whole point? Doesn’t that affect the ability to be honest? Apparently not.
PC’s real problem though is that he’s had too much casual sex and is ready to settle down. At 18. So some girl sets him up on a blind date which, in his world, is treated as a life changing experience. He is then stood up by this girl which, to PC, is proof that the world hates him. I’m sorry, is this country at war? Are people losing their jobs? Are people getting into accidents? No because getting stood up by a girl, in a restaurant where they give you the wine list at 18, is the end of the world.
There is so much more to say about the awfulness of this show. The obviously set up encounters. The information that is blatantly passed on by producers (Sebastian KNEW I loved cupcakes! My public school ex randomly showed up!). The lack of racial diversity in the most diverse city in the world. And more.
But really, the crime here is that Bravo is hoping and praying that we idolize these people with their fake problems and tons of money. Take away the situations and characters themselves and just look at the set itself. Each time a character is giving his or her confessional, it’s a modern episode of “Masterpiece Theater” complete with end table, expensive lamp and crazy pricey lounge chair. They are made up to look better than a normal person.
Scarier still is the fact that, chances are, this show and this world IS real. These people do exist and do worry that going downtown is too difficult. But in today’s economic and social climate, the fact that these people are on TV at all is abysmal.
These people aren’t better than you. They are way way worse. And no one should watch them.
