Jersey Shore: Season One

This MTV reality series introduced the world to an obnoxious tribe of eight young men and women obsessed with tanning, working out, and raising a ruckus during their month-long stay in Seaside Heights, NJ, where they worked in a T-shirt shop to earn their keep. To a person, all are conceited, profane, and judgmental. When Nicole, aka “Snooki,” parties too hard, hits on the guys, and gets sick, she's taken to task for “sloppy” behavior, but she wins them over soon enough. The rest of the show vacillates between brawling (the season ends with jail time for one housemate due to an altercation) and hooking up, both within and outside the group. Sammi, who has a boyfriend, kisses Mike, aka “The Situation,” and hooks up with Ronnie; while Jenni, aka “JWoww,” who's also attached, flirts with Pauly D (Mike and Pauly meet most of their dates in nightclubs). That leaves Angelina and Vinny, who seem marginally more mature than the rest. Since being broadcast, the program has spawned a phrase book, soundtrack CDs, and bobble-head dolls. Compiling all nine episodes from the 2009–10 first season, DVD extras include an episode audio commentary, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, a tense reunion special, and a Jersey Shore makeover for actor Michael Cera. Optional. [Note: Jersey Shore: Season Two is also newly available.] (K. Fennessy)