And That's Why I Still Love The Hills

If you lay claim to waning in enthusiasm regarding the fourth season of MTV's The Hills, or you enjoy posting comments containing two or more uses of the words "boring" and "fake" in fan forums, this reminder is for you. Yes, so far season four is something of a disappointment, and sure, it may feel more like watching 22 minutes of commercials than an actual television series - but there's still hope at the end of this dark tunnel. Consider the five reasons I've decided not to give up on The Hills. If they don't win you over, maybe you were never really a fan to begin with.

1. Longevity

Some people expected The Hills to achieve a fate similar to that of its predecessor, Laguna Beach, by tanking during the third season, followed by a swift cancellation. But MTV, who never fails to surprise viewers by dolling out the exact opposite of what they expect, actually extended the third season (formally known as Season 3B), then granted us a fourth season - and despite what Lauren has said in recent interviews, I really don't believe it will be the last.

2. Community

I admit, I don't identify with the fan hysteria of shows like Grey's Anatomy and House. I watched ER for a good five years and there was nothing to talk about, so why make that kind of commitment again? I think that The Hills fan base is about more than story lines, or even characters; and that's what those who consistently "cry fake" don't get. The fans know there's an element of production control; and, they know the fun isn't in noticing Lauren's cute dress or making fun of Heidi's plastic surgery. It's about sleuthing for editing errors that disclose a timeline inconsistency. It's about logging on to the Canadian-produced MTV Hills Aftershow to watch its cheesy hosts disseminate the episode details and rate which Web cam fan had the best homemade sign. "Community" is one of the most over-used new age marketing buzz words, and if this isn't fan community, I don't know what is.

3. Polarity

Like America itself during one of the most important Presidential elections in memory, the polarization of The Hills viewers has never been more apparent. Too big of a stretch? Ok, fine. But you have to admit, it is pretty ugly out there. Either you love this show and want it to go on forever, or you regard it as confirmation that your parents were right, MTV is like Sodom and Gomorrah, and Justin Bobby, Brent Bolthouse, and (of course) Lisa Love should turn to a pillar of salt for entering the gates in the first place. It's that cut and dry for most viewers.

4. Lush visuals

If all one watched were the sweeping night life shots, one would think that Michael Mann was doing a short film, and then be relieved it was absent of a confusing organized crime plot. That's reason enough right there.

5. Grandiose comparisons

The May 15, 2008 issue of Rolling Stone referred to a New York Times comparison of "The Hills" to "the meandering classics of Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni" (I'm guessing this has something to do with gradual plot advancement). MTV executive Tony Di Santo had the gall to call it "like this generation's A Tale of Two Cities or Oliver Twist." And, in the aforementioned Rolling Stone article, Lauren Conrad herself shared the anecdote that one (unnamed, to his credit) David Letterman staffer told her he thought The Hills was "one of the most important shows of the last 10 years." And there are fans who want to abandon ship because Heidi and Spencer admit to staging their fights? I guess they don't know what the professionals know.

So there you have it. If any notable changes occur throughout the fourth season, I may come up with more. Sure, divulging the real reasons I love this show is a bit humbling (especially at my age); but if it saves one fan from fleeing The Hills, it will all be worth it.