The Paper: Reality TV's New Nerds
Beauty and the Geek Meets The Hills in MTV's Latest Show
May 26, 2008
As the inaugural season of MTV's The Paper wraps up, the show proves it can break new ground by showing us a niche of the high school world, despite some lapses into the predictable. While most of us didn't pay much attention to those kids in high school whose world seemed to revolve around deadlines and headlines, this adolescent subculture is making The Paper one of the more interesting reality shows on TV these days.
Characters and Caricatures
Meet Amanda. She will be the first to tell you she's the editor-in-chief of Cypress Bay High School's award-winning newspaper The Circuit. While her over-the-top antics may make her more a caricature than a sympathetic character at times, there is certainly nothing boring about her daily trails in trying to win over her newspaper staff. In this show, drama arises from internal promotions, deadlines and office politics alongside all the fixings for teenage angst.
Most of the kids in this newspaper class do, in fact, resemble your average teenager - they party, gossip and text message at the speed of MTV - but it is a refreshing change to see that many of their concerns and priorities revolve around the pursuit of journalism and careers after graduation. Plus they even look normal! He has acne! She has thighs! Heaven forbid!
Predictability and Other Shortcomings
Where the show fails, however, is in keeping us guessing. You can't really blame a reality show - or can you? - but just six episodes into the series and you can already see the pattern: Amanda will discuss strategies with her West Highland Terrier; Alex will find a reason to scowl at Amanda; Giana and her friends will make fun of...well, Amanda, again.
What's more, the affluent nature of the school and its students make these kids hard to relate to and, like so many shows before it, provide us with a window into a rich and luxurious world most of us can only imagine instead of a relatable reality without all the frills.
Breaking New Ground
It's hard to say if there is a future for The Paper, but if nothing else, it should prove how much uncharted territory there is left for reality television. Why do another rehash of The Bachelor when you can explore the world of the audio-visual club, the band or the pothead (maybe save that one for HBO)?
Although you may not get much out of The Paper without having gone through the newspaper experience yourself - there are inside jokes galore - this welcome change from the vacant starings of The Hills is certainly worth your time. Catch it before it's tossed out like yesterday's newspaper.
