The OG cast members of Jersey Shore aren't happy about the news of an upcoming reboot. The MTV series originally ran for six seasons, from 2009 to 2012. Its success inspired Floribama Shore and the U.K. hit Geordie Shore. In 2018, the network began airing spin-off/reunion series Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.
The original series was a major hit and a pop culture phenomenon. The cast quickly rose to worldwide infamy, especially Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, and Paul "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio. Snooki's catchphrase"Party's here!" and the guys' mantra "GTO: gym tan laundry" become part of the lexicon. Given the original series' iconic status, it's not surprising MTV wants a reboot. The network announced plans for Jersey Shore 2.0 on May 18. But the OG cast is convinced it won't be the same type of success the second time around.
The response to the reboot was initially posted by Snooki to her Twitter on Thursday, May 19. All of her current cast mates quickly shared the collective statement to their Twitter accounts. The note read, "As a cast that took a chance with a network in need, we put our most vulnerable moments on television for the world to see." Over the 13 years since its debut, the cast wrote that they "became a family and continue to open our lives to the world." The note continued, "please understand that we are not in support of a version that will exploit our original show, our hard work and authenticity to gain viewers." The cast's shared sentiment also reminded their followers that Jersey Shore: Family Vacation season 5 is coming up. The note was tweeted out with the hashtag #WeAreJerseyShore. In a separate tweet, Mike "The Situation" wrote, "There is no substitute for lightning in a bottle."
Many in the replies were confused by the statement, showing that news of the planned 2.0 reboot was not widely known. The majority of reactions agreed with the cast that the original formula could not be replaced. Some called the reboot disrespectful, and many made it clear they'd have no interest in a Jersey Shore without the stars they already know and love. However, there were a few who expressed interest. This isn't the first time MTV has attempted to revamp a major hit from its past. MTV recently announced a The Hills reboot, also with an entirely new cast. However, as many disgruntled OG Jersey Shore and The Hills fans pointed out on Twitter, the network's previous attempt The Hills: New Beginnings was already a reboot that fell flat.
Considering the cast has been in the public eye for 13 years, fans have been there to witness major life events, struggles, and redemption arcs. Viewers watched as the former hard party goers grew up, became parents, and found sobriety. They witnessed Mike's legal battles and sobriety journey, as well as the cast's marriage woes. For instance, after season 3 of Family Vacation covered her wedding, Angelina is now divorcing Chris Larangeira.
While a move towards reboots is understandable, the truth is they are not guaranteed successes. Whether in reality or scripted TV, it seems more reboots sink than swim. As the Jersey Shore cast pointed out, they took a major risk when signing on back in 2009. No one could've predicted how much of a phenomenon it would be. While Family Vacation was also a risk, it was surely the original cast's inimitable dynamics and chemistry that helped make it a hit.
Source: Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi/Twitter, Mike "The Situation"/Twitter