‘The Hills: New Beginnings’ Is A Stylized And Satisfying Return For The MTV Reality Pros

The Hills was MTV’s beloved early aughts “reality” show that then morphed into pure nostalgia bait, and now, in the true fashion of TV in 2019, is back as a new series, The Hills: New Beginnings on MTV. Of course that cycle should give most fans pause. Did we only like The Hills because we were young, impressionable teens when we watched it the first time? Well, if the first episode of New Beginnings is any indication: no. We liked it because this show features some of the absolute best reality TV characters of all time, and it’s just as much fun watching them now as it was then.

The Hills: New Beginnings is smart in its comeback. The show spends the first half of the episode catching up with our old pals. Audrina Patridge, Heidi Pratt, and Whitney Port have a glass of wine, and it feels like we’re right back where we were the last time we saw them together, only with 100% more Botox and mommy stories this time around — not that either of those are bad things though. Because ultimately these women are excellent at reality TV, and that element is the one that matters and remains unchanged. We learn that Justin Bobby (!) OF COURSE reached out the second he heard Audrina was divorcing. You’ll feel sad to know that Stephanie Pratt is still not getting along with her brother, Spencer Pratt. Frankie Delgado is a dad! Brody Jenner is married and somehow HOTTER!

If you’re unsure of the relevance of these people as TV stars, know that several of them had to move away from Los Angeles to achieve any semblance of peace as adults. Spencer and Heidi took off for Costa Rica, Stephanie went to London (and thankfully stuck to reality TV in Made in Chelsea, the UK’s answer to The Hills – please bring this show back, Hulu!). Ten to fifteen years ago, these faces were on magazines and gossip sites and if social media existed at the time, they’d be ALL over that too. Now, they’re a little older, a little wiser, much more likely to argue about being invited to weddings rather than birthday parties, and happy to discuss the ups and downs of marriage (and apparently Brody’s has many).

“I don’t hold grudges, JK I definitely do, this is gonna be fun,” Spencer, one of reality TV’s all-time greatest geniuses says while laughing, and if there is a stronger indication of just how promising this series is going to be, I definitely missed it. While he also laments to Heidi ahead of the boys’ night out, “I’m hoping fun Brody shows up, 2004 Brody,” it’s a sentiment shared by many. Yet while spouses and kids and major life events (including some rather traumatic) have happened for this group, they are still well aware of what they bring to this show and aren’t afraid to bring it all over again.

They’re also joined with new additions including Brandon Lee, son of Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson, who is already a very strong presence on this show. And not just because his mom showed up to critique his cereal choices and sage his crotch, but because he’s got the right attitude for this group. And then there’s Mischa Barton, the actress from The O.C. which was the inspiration for MTV’s reality counterpart Laguna Beach, who makes even more sense on a reality show than anywhere else. While a bubbling storyline about forgiving gossip blogger Perez Hilton feels entirely stuck in 2007, luckily it’s one of the only aspects that does.

Because look, 2019 is a different reality TV landscape than this show is used to. Yes, they were trailblazers, but now they have to do just a bit of adapting: and all signs point to their eagerness to do so. The cast members are open about drugs, divorce, revenge porn, and other struggles they’ve overcome in the years when they weren’t TV fixtures. Now, we can only hope that they look forward to engaging in petty squabbles as much as we delight in watching them.

The Hills: New Beginnings has kept the absolutely bangin’ music the show was always known for providing, doubled down on gorgeous establishing shots that will have you looking up flights to Los Angeles, and added in cast confessionals as well as a ton of stylized slow-motion shots of cast members to make an already glamorous show even more so. And since this is the show that basically admitted to scripting elements of its initial run, it’s easy to spot moments that might feel slightly forced or farcical, but welcome to producing a reality TV show in 2019. This show, specifically, could’ve been much, much worse.

It wouldn’t be all that surprising if The Hills: New Beginnings becomes this summer’s sneaky hit series. The first episode ends with not only a dinner between Audrina and Justin Bobby (simply perfect) but the promise of a showdown at Stephanie’s “Pratt is Back” party in the next episode. And who wouldn’t tune in to see what happens there?

Where to stream The Hills: New Beginnings