"Wicked Single": Fun or a Flop?
“Boston is a city of [bleep] champions!” So begins the premiere of “Wicked Single,” VH1′s newest reality show that seems suspiciously like the Bostonian version of “Jersey Shore.” From the first minute, it’s evident that the theme of this documentary-style series is “work hahd, pahty hahdah.”
As a lifelong Coloradoan who isn’t used to hearing accents, the thickly accented catchphrases repeatedly spouted by the six friends who are the stars of the series are admittedly charming. During the first part of the show, we are introduced to Rachel, Chubs, Chrissy, Nikki, Chelsi and Joe, friends ranging in age from 24 to 30 who have one thing in common – a mutual love of and affinity for going out and getting drunk. They’re all young professionals with jobs that are more a means to earn money than anything else. And when five o’clock rolls around, they frankly can’t leave work fast enough in pursuit of yet another night of RBVs (that’s Red Bull and vodka) at the clubs. Chelsi, the youngest of the bunch who admits that she probably should be applying to medical school but is enjoying her 20s far too much to do so just yet, earnestly confesses her staunch FOMO, or fear of missing out – the phrase so named because she would rather die than miss something fun or memorable at the clubs.
By now, you might be wondering how often they go out on the town. Well, having to go to work the next day after a night of hard partying doesn’t seem to deter this group of friends. In the words of Chubs, the resident “party starter” who is always ready to go out, “when I go drink heavy and stay up late, I feel like a million dollars when I wake up in the morning” (you know, like everyone).
But their lives aren’t all rainbows and unicorns, or in this case, rainbows and RBVs. Rachel, after dress shopping with her two sisters, one of whom is married and the other engaged, sadly reflects that she is “always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” She enjoys partying as much as the rest of the group, but it quickly becomes clear that unlike the others, she doesn’t exactly view her single status as “wicked.” She has also been treated badly by her former roommate, Jaime, who occasionally accompanies the group to the clubs. Their fighting becomes a focal point in the show, with every bar outing turning into a drunken screaming match.
This show might not exactly qualify as cultured, but parts of it are relatable. The carefree interactions of the men contrasted with the drama among Rachel and Jaime is something that I, and many other college women, can relate to. After watching about half of this episode, it becomes visible that there is more heart here than one would guess. Overall, however, the numerous wild party scenes interspersed with dramatic ones get old after a short time. This show may be wicked fun, but it’s not wicked memorable.