Here’s a philosophical question for you. What’s the best way to reboot a series? Should the cast be entirely original or should a new set of people be found? Maybe a mix of OG’s and newbies would be better. And does it make a difference if it’s reality TV?
Well, producers for The Hills: Next Gen decided to scrap everybody and just start from scratch. To be fair, it’s been almost 20 years since The Hills premiered. Part of its appeal was the laidback charm of the most privileged, carefree, and aesthetically pleasing young adults in America. They exuded the infallible optimism of youth. Add that to their enviable lifestyle and vast trust funds, and the show was an instant hit.
So perhaps it would be hard for the same group, now nearing middle age, to approach life with that same reckless abandon. Seriously, would anyone other than a lovestruck college student turn down working in Paris for a man? Case in point.
However, producers could have made an exception for one person. She’s been involved since the start, and this original cast member also appeared on all three seasons of The Hills: New Beginnings. Of course we are talking about Audrina Patridge. Soft-spoken Audrina spent most of her time on The Hills chasing bad boy Justin “Bobby Brescia. She rarely courted conflict and could be counted on for being a solid friend.
People reported that Audrina was very disappointed to be passed over. “I can’t believe they’re doing this, to be honest,” she said while on TalkShopLive. “Especially because on The Hills: New Beginnings, we had a cast of 14 and it was actually really hard to film because there were so many people and so many things going on.”
Audrina continued, “I’m a little bummed out about it but I guess they want a younger generation and as you get older, you have more responsibilities and you care about your image. And we’re not in our twenties anymore, so I guess getting a new generation of kids makes sense ’cause they’re going to be carefree and wild,”
Former costar on the post-Lauren Conrad seasons of The Hills, Kristin Cavallari voiced a similar opinion on Audrina’s behalf. While co-hosting E! News’ Daily Pop, Kristin opined, “That’s definitely a slap in the face. I would be a little butt hurt about that too.”
Seemingly producers want to capitalize on the old franchise but use a whole new metric. Kristin pointed out that The Hills: Next Gen, recycled the title but sounds like “a totally different show.”
“If they’re getting an entirely new cast, how are you even going to call it The Hills?” Kristin added.
Let’s see what a Gen Z version of The Hills has to offer. Meanwhile, Kristin got a podcast gig. She will be re-watching the series while sharing drama from behind the scenes.
TELL US- SHOULD AUDRINA HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE REBOOT? HOW ABOUT OTHER CAST MEMBERS FROM NEW BEGINNINGS? WILL YOU WATCH THE REBOOT? HOW WILL IT BE THE SAME/DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINAL SHOW?
[Photo Credit: Thomas Concordia/WireImage for STYLE360]