Home Video Exclusives

[JohnIan101]

Past Tense


[An earlier (proto) version of this PT was originally posted on August 18th, 2011 on JoBlo's "DVD, Blu-Ray & Home Theater Discussion" forum.]

Warm sunny days, beaches and tawdry dalliances - welcome to Laguna Beach...



MTV's "Laguna Beach: [The Real Orange County] The Complete First Season" was released on home video on July 19th, 2005.

It streeted against "Sliders: The Third Season", "Constantine: 2 - Disc Deluxe Edition" and "Cleopatra 2525: The Complete Series" (c'mon, you watched too).

Came in three slim cases inside a slipcase. One insert, advertisement for the "V.I.P. Surf Club" (series website with photos, videos, ring tones, games and weekly previews of season two episodes). The other side, ad for season two.

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Best Buy had a $10.00 coupon, not for season one. $29.99 and get ten off other MTV sets; "Punk’d" (seasons 1 or 2), "Viva La Bam" (season 1) or "Newlyweds" (seasons 1 - 3). A minimum of five coupons in stores.

Circuit City sold an exclusive key chain for $27.99 (on package).



Target - bonus disc (white CD envelope) inside slipcase, cast interviews. They added a $5.00 gift card too. Run time of 13:49 minutes in widescreen; sold for $27.99. Did not get, but in July 2011 Big Lots! had a huge DVD sale; new titles for three bucks. Sway!

Was a blind buy, liked and discovered Target's bonus (Ebay); lead me into getting season two and all the exclusives troubles.

Another exclusive, did not know until mid June 2018 - Ebay, bought for a penny! Total with shipping was $3.26. The only bidder. Received on 6/23.



FYE/Suncoast/Sam Goody (parent company, Trans-World Entertainment) offered a sneak peek, promo DVD with printed sleeve.

Don't have a price nor exact date.

Serious speculation.

I believe was available (free) on pre-order in early July 2005 OR available on the week of July 10th, free with select MTV series sets. Not the week of July 17th since it came out on the 19th.



A run time of 11:49 minutes in widescreen.

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Rant.

Presented non-anamorphic widescreen.

Seasons one and two was a combo post - my inaugural Past Tense in 2011.

Still working out the rules, collecting resources; sadly I was lacking in those early days.

First entry was crap.

Research was fragmented, which is why on top, lists as 'proto'. When I moved to this location, I skipped my first PT post. And until last October (2017) was incomplete (mostly). My quest lasted six years. I'll cover that in detail next PT.

This was a reality TV show that aired on MTV concerning the lives of a group of high school friends and their circles in a hub of California money, Laguna Beach; drama and the stuff in between.

Ran for three seasons, spawning several spin-offs.

Came to existence because of [B]Fox[B]'s juggernaut - "The O.C." (2003; PT posts for seasons three and four). MTV wanted to capitalize the success. Participants Lauren Conrad and Lo Bosworth were fans of the series, even commenting in their show - meta.

The most successful is Lauren Conrad; turned her reality TV stint into more. Her own fashion line ("Lauren Conrad") and became a successful author; nine published novels.

Second is Lo Bosworth; authored a book, has a party supply business for hosting and solid web presence.

Third is Kristin Cavallari; mostly because married to Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler and semi-frequently on news because of it. Had a minor acting career. Cavallari did have her own TV show on the former UPN, "Get This Party Started" about throwing surprise parties. Got axed after two episodes in 2006; lowest-rated show of that season. An hour long show.

Cavallari was upset when the "Laguna Beach" first aired.

Seventeen at the time; Kristin was villainized in the season one.

Her boyfriend was Stephen Colletti; producers had Stephen take out Conrad, trying to win her over.

Which in her words would never have happened if MTV wasn't involved; creating drama.

Reflecting ten years later in 2015...

I put up a really tough exterior because I felt like they were really trying to take advantage of me. It was a really difficult time, and then when I saw it air, and saw the way that they represented me, I was really, really upset. I cried for hours and hours after I saw the first episode. It was hard, it was really hard.

We filmed a pilot, we had no idea what we were doing," Cavallari continued. "We were just going along with whatever MTV was telling us to do. We were kids! We didn't know. Then Laguna Beach literally turned into an overnight huge success and it was a really wild time in my life.

I still, to this day, think you should have to be 18 to do a reality show. Only because of my experience.

- Cavallari

Returned to the fold for season five of the first spin-off - "The Hills".

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Spawned/inspired programs...

"The Hills" (2006) continued the exploits of Lauren Conrad with minor appearances from LB cast. Unlike "Laguna Beach" this ran for six seasons, 102 episodes. All seasons on DVD, several as [B]Target[B] exclusives - future Past Tenses.

"The City" (2008) featured Whitney Port from "The Hills" on her own in New York; ran for two seaons, thirty-five episodes. Both seasons are DVD.

"Kell On Earth" (2010) was a quasi spin-off from "The Hills" for Bravo - centered on Kelly Cutrone, founder of the public relations, branding and marketing firm People's Revolution. It lasted eight episodes, no home video release.

MTV created a tangent series, hoping to recapture lightening in a bottle again - "Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County" (2007), failed - twelve episodes. This is on home video as an MOD. Should be noted that, participant Clay Adler, shot himself in the head in 2017. His suicide is believed to have been from mental health issues. Died in the desert with friends.

VH1 made an unofficial spin-off, centered on "The Hills" participant, Audrina Patridge - "Audrina" (2011); one season, ten episodes. Yet to be released on home video.

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Three seasons; forty-three episodes. Only seasons one and two were released on DVD in America. At one point, season three was available from Amazon as a MOD (Manufactured On Demand; official DVD-R), no extras (no opening credits - didn't want to pay music licensing).

Third was to have an official U.S. release on July 24th, 2007, but it never happened - at least not in the States.

It's season three of Laguna Beach, and a whole new generation gets ready to bring the drama. Cliques will clash, secrets will be revealed and hearts will be broken. A high school rock band will go from playing house parties to the big time. A girl will find her first love - and almost lose it. And another will look in all the wrong places. All set against the picturesque beaches and staggering wealth of Orange County. Think you can keep up? Laguna Beach awaits.

- studio description from Paramount



The DVD was officially released in the United Kingdom and Australia (above) - box sets with bonus features.

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Tangent.

Mid last month (February 2018), news popped; talks for "The Hills" revival. Two of the main... performers from "Laguna Beach" and spinoff said no. Lo Bosworth made it clear in her podcast, "Lady Lovin'" - zero interest.

Ancient history at this point. I actually got a phone call from a television executive the other day that was like, ‘Would you do a Hills reunion?’ I was like, ‘Fuçk no!’ I don’t want any association with any of those people. The dissociation from all those people is what I’m hungry for... I’m in a different place with my life.

- Bosworth

She is still friends with some of the cast, the rest was forced; people she would never associate if it weren't for the series.

Conrad also declined, a main hold out - claimed by "Hills" cast member, Spencer Pratt.

Conversation on her podcast (#123) started because of listener emails. Some of them saying Lauren or Audrina were their favorite on "The Hills".

Bosworth is still adorable, such a potty mouth. Photo does not do her justice - looks like a 'Wallace & Gromit' character. It's the wrong capachino, Talon!

Come back on March 22nd, 2018 for season two.

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Update - June 24th, 2018.

Another exclusive, didn't know, discovered in June '18 from Ebay. Post revised.

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Update - August 22nd, 2018.

Coming in 2019 for MTV.

Returning cast is Audrina Patridge, Justin Bobby, Frankie Delgado, Stephanie Pratt, Jason Wahler, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt. Those not: Lauren Conrad, Lo Bosworth and Kristin Cavallari who could not because of a contract with E!; current show on their channel, "Very Cavallari".

"The Hills: New Beginnings" was announce on MTV's 2018 VMA (Music Video Awards) broadcast, August 20th, 2018.