Role reversal on Laguna Beach
I will admit that Laguna Beach is a guilty pleasure of mine. The show starts with a black screen that tells the audience “the events and the drama are real�. Aside from the opening proclamation, you would never know that the show is reality. The show is missing one of the key stamps of reality TV, the confessional. At no point do the characters acknowledge that they are being filmed. The audience is supposed to feel as though they are simply observing the lives of the rich and fabulous teens of a hip California city. The full title of the show is ‘Laguna Beach: The Real OC�. The show came out about a year after the OC had been in syndication. I am guessing that this was MTV’s shot at bringing back the audience they may have lost because of The OC’ s popularity. It seemed to work. Laguna Beach has had a very similar following. The show is shot almost as if it is The OC. On of the markers that it is not are the titles that flash across the bottom of the screen to inform the audience whose drama they are watching. The main characters Kristin, LC and Stephen get the privilege of just their name popping up when they enter a scene. The rest of the cast is always labeled in relationship to these characters. Lo is always presented and Lo: LC’s friend. My personal favorite was Dieter: Stephen’s wingman. The show is shot like a sitcom, with typical MTV tunes in the background. It caters to the chic dream of living a stylish west coast lifestyle. Being rich without being famous.
I think the reason I enjoy the show so much is because of Kristin's character. Kristin, like the majority of the shows characters, is self absorbed and superficial. What I like about Kristin is she is refreshingly honest (in Laguna Beach terms) and she has a sort of no nonsense attitude. Men drive almost all of the main female characters on the show. Characters like LC, and Jessica spend each episode obsessed with boys, how boys see them, what they can do to make boys happy and what girls they will need to step on to get to the boys. These girls accept mistreatment and humiliation from the boys on the show, in hopes of getting back together and winning their affections. Time after time Jessica's boyfriend cheats on her, or is simply mean to her, and yet she always runs back to him, even if they are broken up. This makes the show very frustrating to watch. As a woman it is painful to see the things girls do to themselves and others for guys, especially guys who clearly do not care about them.
Kristin on the other hand reverses these stereotypes. She drives much of the story. Guys are always vying for her attention and when she is sick of a guy then she is sick of the guy. Through much of the first season Kristin determines the course of the relationship between her and Stephen, while Stephen determines his relationship with LC. Although Kristin is sometimes mean insensitive and promiscuous, she presents a refreshing opposite to the passive and submissive female characters. Although Kristin can be selfish, mean and insensitive she, like the boys, gets away with it. Kristin’s character represents a rise in gender equality. She is able to handle her sexuality the way men have for many years. Marla Harris discusses gender equality and sexual liberation. She sites that other shows, such as “Paradise Hotel� feature women who are driven by their own sexuality and will step on anyone they can to get what they want. This reality TV show depicts a young woman who is funny, beautiful, and well liked behaving in the way she wants to. She is in control of her sexuality and relationships. Although the setting leaves something to be desired, the show is a small step in the right direction in terms of feminine sexuality.