The Big Picture
Jersey Shore
made pop culture history in 2009 thanks to its iconic cast members like Snooki and The Situation.
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
revived the nostalgia with the original cast in their adult forms.
The revival series has extended beyond expectations, focusing on the past while showcasing the cast’s growth.
When it comes to everlasting reality television programs, if you had Jersey Shore on your bingo card, well, you’d be lucky! Jersey Shore came from a time that can truly never be replicated today. Had it not debuted when it did, it would likely not be allowed to do so now. As part of a reality television time capsule, Jersey Shore has turned into a nostalgia-filled celebration for a generation who grew up with it on their television screens. While the original program has been a thing of the past, the revival, Jersey Shore: Family Vacation has taken its place, uniting the cast in their “adult” forms. Leaning on the past to exploit the present, Jersey Shore: Family Vacation has transported its longtime fans to the past by relying on nostalgia as its backbone.
When Jersey Shore arrived on MTV in 2009, pop culture history was made. Playing up stereotypical Italian-American tropes, the cast, comprising mostly of New Yorkers and some who weren’t even Italian, became household names. If you never watched a single episode, if you heard the monikers — you’d understand the reference. Some used their real names. Others were relegated to nicknames. From Snooki to The Situation, Jersey Shore has endured it all. Yet, fans can’t get enough. But after 15 years of the same old nonsense, should the show change course and highlight the cast in a new light? It depends on who you ask.
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
Past members of the cast of “Jersey Shore” reunite to live together and go on vacation in Miami and other destinations.
Release Date April 5, 2018
Cast Paul “Pauly D” DelVecchio , Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino , Vinny Guadagnino , Deena Nicole Cortese
Seasons 7
‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’ Defied the Odds
Jersey Shore is one of those addictive shows that has kept MTV alive since 2009. Like a train wreck you can’t look away from, Jersey Shore was a pop culture phenomenon that resulted in an obsession from fans eager to capitalize on “shore culture.” The original series ran a total of six seasons and birthed a handful of spin-offs, including Snooki & JWoww, The Pauly D Project, The Show with Vinny, and Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, plus other shore-based programs like Floribama Shore, Buckhead Shore, and All-Star Shore. And those are just the American versions of the hit! Marred with controversy and conversation for years, Jersey Shore relied on being trash TV. For many, the draw was the fascination of watching a group of individuals exhibiting a lifestyle and mannerisms that appeared to diverge from the norm. It’s a program that makes some viewers feel better about themselves. Until they realized the paychecks, the cast was reeling in.
Six years after the end of the flagship program, MTV revived Jersey Shore as a nostalgic journey with the cast. Called Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, the majority of the original cast returned to remind the world of their infamous quotes, memes, and drama. As believed when Jersey Shore: Family Vacation debuted, MTV assumed viewers would be drawn into the reunion for the sake of nostalgia. MTV was correct. They accurately predicted they wanted more Jersey Shore. But watching the cast, now in their 30s and beyond, partake in the shenanigans of the past feels a bit contrived. With most of the cast finding lives beyond the show, Jersey Shore: Family Vacation has given fans a chance to peek inside the lives that have expanded since the show.
Related ‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’ Should End After Season 7
With season 7 around the corner, it might be time for the ‘Jersey Shore: Family Vacation’ to say goodbye to filming for good.
The intent was to capture lightning twice, but the cast has leaned on the past because it’s worked for them once. Perhaps planned as a one-season exploration of the present, it has since turned into a seven-season run. Yes, the revival series has outlasted the original, with many of the seasons featuring two parts to extend the viewership — and that’s saying something. While the locale has predominantly strayed away from Seaside Heights, New Jersey, the memories and references are still there. Yes, there would be fist-pumping. Yes, there would be screaming and shouting. But yes, they were more mature than they were. Age may be just a number, but maturity is a way of mind.
For Most of the Cast, the Past Dictated the Future
For the revival series, the original cast, except for Samantha “Sammi Sweetheart” Giancola, returned. The first season was like a trip on The Real Housewives, with the cast venturing to Miami, Florida. But of course, there were real-life realities that affected the program, namely for Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, who was dealing with his court battle where he would ultimately agree to a plea deal. Despite being sober for two years at that moment, The Situation would meet the cast in Miami. With temptation straight in his face, the fear was he would be able to stay in a healthy place or revert to the character fans knew and loved. Would the past dictate his future? Luckily, it did not. Other players returned to the program, like Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Jennifer “JWoww” Farley, and Deena Cortese — now married with children. Vinny Guadagnino and Ronnie Ortiz-Magro had girlfriends. And then there was “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio, who may have been single but returned with immense success in the music industry.
When Jersey Shore first began, the program followed a cast that was predominantly in their twenties. The antics the kids went through were typical for party animals of the generation. Well, they did go to the extreme. Some of those fights were nuts. That is the draw of reality television. Throughout the revival series, much of the cast allowed the cameras to capture their growth. The stakes increased as real life set in. The Situation went to prison for tax evasion and then captured him and his wife, Lauren Sorrentino, trying to get pregnant. Ronnie had drama with his baby mama, went to rehab, and then was arrested for domestic violence, prompting his departure from the show. Deena and Snooki gave birth again. Jwoww endured a divorce. Vinny became a Chippendale. Angelina Pivarnick became a full-time cast member again when she was planning a wedding. Of course, that wedding became a game changer when the infamous wedding speech fractured the cast.
Then Season 7 was the official game changer. Following the return of Sammi to the Jersey Shore family, the cast was tasked with living under the same roof. The nostalgia was back. It changed the dynamic of the show, leaning back on its initial run’s sentiments. The gimmick got people back in, but was it worth the cringe?
‘Jersey Shore’ Is Still Trying to Grow Up
There were likely an assortment of reasons why MTV hearkened back to the past. Was a hefty paycheck what brought the Jersey Shore cast back together? Surely. But it’s clearly what the fans wanted! When Sammi returned, the nostalgia kicked back in. Her absence for more than eight years brought memories of a time when GTL and partying at Karma were the norm. Sure, the antics may feel cringe to some, but at the core, can you fault them for reverting to the personas that made them stars? There is a universe in which nostalgia can be present while still shifting in a different direction — and it’s called growing up. The more they grow up, the more meaningful the nostalgia can be when the timing is right. Moving on from the partying phase may disappoint some fans, but this is reality television. Growing up is a part of life. It’s real.
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation is available to stream on Paramount+.
Stream on Paramount+