Pattie Pegler got an early look at The GC and finds it unashamedly trashy – in a good sort of way.
Apparently nearly 130,000 Maori now live in Australia.
New local reality show The GC is about a "bunch of them living the good life on the Gold Coast".
There are 11 20-somethings, four girls and seven guys, all of them chasing "the dream of money, sex, fame".
Yes, that old cliched dream, I hear you say. Yep, that's right. If there's one thing this show isn't short on, it's cliches.
The producers have followed all the usual reality rules. They've found a group of supremely self-confident exhibitionists. Then they've got them in front of the camera to share their not very brilliant thoughts about how great they are.
This lot must have had the programme makers rubbing their hands in glee. Because if there's one thing you don't want on reality shows it's normal, self-aware people with any sense of humility.
So we get lots of this kind of stuff: "Girls love me on the GC, that's just how it is" says young Nate, taking a few minutes out from admiring his hair.
Tame tells us: "I do all right with the aunties" and reveals that his record is five aunties in five nights. With a flash of uncharacteristic modesty, he adds "it's not amazing, but it's all right".
These revelations are interspersed with "real" conversations. "How excited are you about the party tonight?" asks Rose. "I can't wait. It's going to be so fun," replies Jessi in a stilted poolside exchange. Then they get straight to the key issue – what to wear. They decide on something "sexy and cute". It's gripping stuff.
They've all got some ambitions too. Rose and Jessi, in the tradition of pretty girls on reality television the world over, are aspiring models. Tame has property-investing aspirations, while Nate is a "wannabe rapper" and, according to him, "I'm pretty good". No surprise there.
But I worry about how they're going to achieve these goals. We don't see them doing any modelling or property investing. We do see Nate rapping, but that's to himself in the mirror and I'm not sure that counts.
They're all so busy primping, there's no time for other things.
The boys devote hours to their pre-party regime, which includes oiling their skin and countless outfit changes. And I'm guessing that the gym takes up some time, because they're all incredibly buff.
Like so much reality TV, this is unashamedly trashy. But TV shouldn't be just earnest documentaries about melting polar ice caps.
We like a bit of trash. Look at the inexplicable success of shows like Jersey Shore and The Only Way Is Essex. If we're going to watch inane, pretty faces, they might as well be home-grown inane, pretty faces.
I won't be putting this on series link, but I will peek occasionally.
Learn the GC lingo:
Keep up with Maori on the Gold Coast:
"neff" (nephew) – bro or friend
"aunty" – a single woman "mumsies" – a girlfriend
"publics" – hair down there
"creep on" – scoring girls
"what doing" – what's up?
"hoha" – nuisance
"whawhai" – pronounced 'farfye' – a fight
The GC: Wednesdays, 8pm, TV3.
Will you be watching The GC?
- © Fairfax NZ News
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