Bravo's NYC Prep Episode One
The Top One Half of One Percent
The Upper East Side has become the new "It" spot, thanks to the overwhelming success of Gossip Girl, which was based off of a successful line of Young Adult novels with the same name. While those outside New York often feel overwhelmed and awed by the mere utterance of the name of neighborhood, those who live inside the city's golden gates know that the Upper East Side is really just blocks and blocks of doorman buildings dotted with a few shopping destinations, schools, two colleges and eateries strewn between. While the place itself is yawn-inducing, it is the inhabitants that fascinate us.
And So It Begins
As Episode One unfolds, we are introduced to our new characters. There is a montage of these well-heeled children as PC (who knows what that stands for? Personal Computer? Certainly not Politically Correct), our Chuck Bass wannabe introduces us to the place and characters who will help start us on our journey through this hour (well 45 minutes with commercials) of massive wealth and entitlement.
The Players
First up on the chopping block is PC himself. Sitting on a plush chair in a sound studio and dressed in his best idea of how a man of a certain demographic should look, he tells us how money flows endlessly. He asserts he's "not like that", but later tells his best friend, Jessie, that if she doesn't get into the school of her choice she can always pull a few strings. Turning to the camera and in an unwavering voice, PC tells us that he feels sorry for people who have to live on a budget. I suppose this is supposed to make us feel more endeared to him since 99.5% of the world has to live on a budget (more on that statistic later).
Next, we are introduced to Jessie. She is a bright young woman of 17 with a love of fashion (and apparently red Chanel lipstick). She works for Operation Smile, which helps children in 3rd world countries have their cleft palettes repaired. She has had a personal shopper at Barney's since she was 13, and talks in the back of her throat.
Then we come to Kelli, the one all of the boys fall head over heels for (or so the script tells them to). A former Hamptons townie (and we all know how utterly loathesome those people are), she and her older brother live by themselves in an Upper East Side apartment so that she can attend one of those $25,000 a year prep schools. She's also a singer, but the show never really seems to care about that.
Sebastian is introduced to us next. With a Farrah Fawcett like 'do, he waltzes in and let's the camera know quite quickly that he has ambitions to be the next Hugh Hefner (not in so many words, but you know). At 16, he's not so much into relationships, but more into casual sex with 2 or 3 or more girls per night. He's cute, I guess, but herpes isn't usually an endearing quality. Strangely enough, throughout the episode he goes through three girls and never seems to do more than kiss any of them, and extremely chastely at that. All talk? I wonder, Seb.
Then we come to Camille. With a Blair Waldorf-style headband sitting atop her brunette layers, she tells us she is not a multi-billionaire, but her family is indeed in the top half of the top 1%. Her life goals include going to Harvard and becoming the head of a genetics firm. Well, at least she's got goals.
Finally, the real-life Jenny Humphrey of the show: Taylor. Taylor goes to an elite public magnet high school (which are usually not a cake walk to earn admittance) and lives with her upper middle class mother in an apartment on the Upper West Side. Like the Humphreys, Taylor's family is not in the top half of the top 1%, but is rather probably in the bottom half of the top 1%.
The Meat
Episode one takes us on a journey where PC and Jessie fight and make up like an old married couple. Taylor holds a party at an upscale restaurant to climb the social ladder (the illusions to Jenny Humphrey are really starting to bug), Sebastian meets Kelli, takes her on a date, dumps her for Taylor and then dumps Taylor for some other random girl that he seemingly impressed with his elementary French skills. PC meets Kelli at an art gallery and asks her on a date. When she brings Camille, he's a little angry and decides the girls are so young since he's a whole year older than they are. Plus, they still get grounded. How immature. PC then meets up with Jessie to discuss his girl issues and jokingly throws a water bottle at her. Angered, Jessie storms out. Them they make-up via Blackberry and we're introduced to a montage of what kind of televised vomit is in store for us. Hint: It includes PC wearing a Justin-Bobby-esque hat and guyliner. That seems thrilling.
The Verdict
Episode One provided a good hook for the series. Sure, its not quality entertainment, but its a show to curl up in pajamas with while you thank God that a professional camera crew wasn't around filming your awkward teenage years and televising it internationally.
What do you think about this article?
More in Film & TV
Latest Articles