69 replies to this topic

[Scrb]

Saw what seemed like a pretty long promo for "Washington Heights." Seems like it could be Laguna Beach in a grittier setting.

Actually, besides the usual HS drama, it looks like some of the cast members will be striving to become successful. There's an aspiring baseball player, aspiring singer, stylist.

Could be more like HBO's short-lived How to Make it in America, if they don't glamorize NY street life too much, with scripted scenes and such. The cat fighting seems out of Jersey Shore though.

Maybe this is their idea of the ultimate mash-up.

[under the el]

I just read a promo for it, and it seems like they're trying to make it sound grittier than it really is. Washington Heights isn't the best section of Manhattan, but its not the worst. I hope we see little bits of Dominican culture, but not in a shoe-horned way.

[Stinger97]

I read the premise and saw the extended trailer and all I could think was, "Maybe these kids should get some real career aspirations?" I mean, baseball player? Rapper? It's cool to dream, but chances are neither of these kids are going to be the next Derek Jeter/Jay Z. But maybe that's just me being a downer. I did like that one of them is attending FIT, though. I can support that.

I'll give the show a chance. If it's similar to the original Real World (not as scripted as say, Laguna Beach), I could see myself becoming invested. But if the cast awkwardly and stiltedly reads lines from a script that was obviously prepared (like, say, Laguna Beach), I'm out.

Edited by Stinger97, Dec 22, 2012 @ 1:43 AM.

[Scrb]

Yeah but aspiring for stardom in sports or music seems like a characteristically NY kind of thing.

At least they're not aspiring to be investment bankers or at least have real aspirations, unlike Laguna Beach or The Hills.

With TV involved, if the show gets any kind of traction, newfound stardom for the cast would overwhelm any working class career plans.

[the weeknd]

I liked it. One of the least fake looking reality shows I've seen in awhile. And for some reason it tickles me that the entirely cast is completely ethnically ambiguous. Or Dominican.

[tension92]

The show seems pretty okay, so far. Am I the only one that thinks that the girls all look alike except for that one girl who's white? And does anybody gets a gay vibe from Ludwin? I need to get all their names figured out but I think this show will be decent.

[EndoKE]

Oh shoot, I missed it. Well it's on MTV which means they'll show it about 38383884 times this weekend, hopefully it'll be on demand.

What does it mean to be "ethnicly ambiguous?". They're Dominican. Confused.

I worked in Washington Heights for nearly thirty years and when I first came up there, the area was a lot rougher, now it has become gentrified.

Edited by EndoKE, Jan 10, 2013 @ 8:14 PM.

[313Mary]

So far I'm liking it, it seems I don't know, less directed (is that the right word?). Less messed with I guess, I'll keep watching if it stays like this.

[countryturnip]

I live in Washington Heights, so I'm interested in finding out what the shooting schedule was for this. It looks like we've seen people outside in the summer, without coats, and Christmas decorations in the hallway in another scene. Does anyone know?

[Turkish]

These accents are a lot for me to deal with. Especially where Jimmy is concerned. Thank God, they occasionally give him subtitles. I'm already over the beef between him and that girl. And girls physically assaulting each other in public? So ratchet.

[EndoKE]

These accents are a lot for me to deal with. Especially where Jimmy is concerned.

I'm confused, I don't hear any accents, they all speak English fine to me. But you are right about Eliza and Renya fighting like that, so tacky, and I'm glad Audubon's mom let Renya have it too.

Ludwin needs to drop that girlfriend, I wonder if she suffers from Depression though.

I watched and had no trouble telling all the girls apart, they all looked very different to me.

Edited by EndoKE, Jan 11, 2013 @ 9:08 AM.

[the weeknd]

What does it mean to be "ethnicly ambiguous?". They're Dominican. Confused.

To be ethnically ambiguous means that one's ethnicity is ambiguous.

[Turkish]

I'm confused, I don't hear any accents, they all speak English fine to me.

They sound like they all have thick accents to me. Of course, they also sound like they have food or something in their mouths that's preventing them from speaking properly. Like Jimmy for example, who they even subtitled at one point during the show. He sounds like he has marbles in his mouth.

[EndoKE]

They sound like they all have thick accents to me. Of course, they also sound like they have food or something in their mouths that's preventing them from speaking properly. Like Jimmy for example, who they even subtitled at one point during the show. He sounds like he has marbles in his mouth.

I really didn't have problems understand any of them; I was so caught up in their stories that I didn't even notice that so maybe it's me.

To be ethnically ambiguous means that one's ethnicity is ambiguous.

It's not ambiguous to me, they're Dominican, just because someone isn't chocolate brown or blonde and blue eyed doesn't make them ambiguous, guess we'll have to agree to disagree there.

[Brooklynista]

I didn't have any trouble with the accents. There was some mumbling and I just chalked that up to this generations inability to communicate in any form that isn't Tweeting or Facebooking. Kids today just don't damn speak.

[Empress1]

I didn't have any trouble with the accents. There was some mumbling and I just chalked that up to this generations inability to communicate in any form that isn't Tweeting or Facebooking.

Ditto. There were times I couldn't understand them but that was when they were mumbling or speaking really fast or talking with their mouths full, not because of their accents. I also didn't see any ethnic ambiguity, and it didn't even occur to me that there was supposed to be any; they're Dominican, except for the white one.

This was a little more Hills-esque than I anticipated, but because I find the working-class hustle more interesting than the lifestyles of the over-privileged, liked it. I also like Washington Heights as an area so it's cool to see.

Do they all have famous aspirations? I can't tell if Frankie's poetry is a hobby or something she wants to do something with.

[the weeknd]

I think I missed something, what happened between Jimmy, Eliza, and Reyna?

I really like this show. I really like the vibe.

[shemaree]

I'm not really feeling this show. I get the "Laguna Beach/Hills" vibe. They introduce all these random people, have them meet at restaurant to talk about "he said, she said", and try to make a storyline out of it. A lot of the scenes feel like they are trying too hard for things to happen. It's like they know a camera is there, so they must talk about something or DO something. I don't know, it's really weird.

The 2 hour premiere seemed like too much. It felt like a chore to get through. Not sure If I will keep watching.

[Scrb]

Do they all have big dreams of "blowing up" or is there anyone that just wants to do as well as they could in school to aim for a white-collar career?

Well at least they have aspirations, compared to the LH kids, who were rich and didn't even pretend to want a career.

[EndoKE]

Do they all have big dreams of "blowing up" or is there anyone that just wants to do as well as they could in school to aim for a white-collar career?

I was wondering that too, but I think a show about people wanting white collar careers might not get the audience MTV wants. I watch reality TV for the drama, if I want to watch a documentary, I'll watch one.

[NYTeacher]

Dominican ethnicity comes from three main sources: European, African and Taino Native people. How these ethnicities are expressed can differ dramatically, even within families.

[Enychica]

I really like this young people. They aren't perfect but they do seem to think more deeply about things than their Hills type counterparts.

[ceelovejay]

I haven't yet watched last night's episode so can't comment on that (and it seems that nobody else saw it either lol). But re: the accents - they sound like the typical Latino/a New York accents to me. My best friend is Puerto Rican and sounds exactly like the blonde hair girl (I'm still learning names).

[the weeknd]

I saw it, but I wish there were a better place to discuss it. No one I know in real life watches it :(

[knaayo]

I like the show too, but I don't know how long it's going to last. I thought episode 4 was one of the better episodes. I laughed out loud and got a sincere vibe from a lot of the emotions expressed. I'm also interested in where Frankie and Ludwin will go. Unfortunately, I think Frankie is in for some heartache.

[cws86]

Okay, I absolutely hated the 2hr premiere. I sat there wondering: "why the hell did MTV think these kids were interesting enough to build a series around?" But after last week's episode and this week's, I have really become fond of this show. It's a shame that this show is floundering while Buckwild is thriving because I find this show to be much better. I think this show is much better when it focuses on the guys' journeys unfortunately. Maybe things will change in the future but I can't relate to any of the girls and they just seem to be there to prop up the guys. I hope this show catches on because I would hate for it to be canceled and to be left hanging.

[SophiaE]

I agree, CWS86. This show is so much better than "Buckwild" and I just don't understand how it isn't more popular. I tried to watch "Buckwild" and had to change the station after a few minutes. I seriously thought I was watching something that didn't belong on MTV. I find "Washington Heights" to be so much better, and less shallow than many other reality shows/docu-dramas. These people actually seem to have some sense and goals, which is nice to see from my generation.

[ceelovejay]

I'm finally all caught up on all the episodes.

I'm also interested in where Frankie and Ludwin will go. Unfortunately, I think Frankie is in for some heartache.

I agree! I *think* she's okay with their arrangement as it is right now but, come on, most women will eventually catch feelings. I think they're absolutely adorable together. But maybe Frankie should have waited until Ludwin got over his breakup first before moving in. You can tell she genuinely likes him and he genuinely likes her. But he keeps saying he doesn't want to ruin their friendship by a relationship and something just doesn't sit right when he does.

I have to say the argument between Reyna and her sister Tatiana gave me such life. Having a boriqua best friend, this is EXACTLY how the arguments between her and her sisters sound. It gave me warm and fuzzies. LOL And I love how the mom sat down with her and told her that she doesn't like when they're warring. And who the hell is Manny (the cause of the argument)? Is that Reyna's boyfriend? I couldn't place him at all.

And allow me to be shallow for a sec, Rico could get it.

I guess I'm gonna singlehandedly keep this thread alive. LOL

So...Reyna's song. What'd we think? I do like her relationship with her boyfriend too.

I want to stay in like with Ludwin but I don't know. I like Frankie so I'm torn! LOL

And I really, really like this show. I like how the friendships are shown. Does anyone know if they definitely all knew each other prior to the show filming?

[SophiaE]

LOL Yes, Manny is Reyna's boyfriend.

I'll keep this thread alive with you! I love this show, and have no one to talk to about it. :( I really hope that this show continues past the first season. I can't believe "Buckwild" was picked up for a second season. It's no wonder that "Buckwild" does so well, when they show it around 5 times per day and they only show "Washington Heights" once per week. You'd think that if they were to show reruns of WH, it would generate more of an audience, but who am I? :/

I'm not sure how I feel about Reyna's song, since I haven't decided how I feel about her voice yet. I do think JP (Audubon) has talent, though. The songs we've heard of his are pretty good.

I can't say that I definitely know that they were friends before they started filming, but during the airing this week, they did a "Ustream" and answered the questions of the viewers. Taylor said that they all met at an average age of 14. If I remember correctly, Fred said he had met Ludwin when they were 12. I think all of them have known each other for a relatively long time, apart from Eliza, who met them all when she started dating Jimmy.

[the weeknd]

And I really, really like this show. I like how the friendships are shown. Does anyone know if they definitely all knew each other prior to the show filming?

I'm pretty sure they did. To that effect, MTV was not mining for more drama. As it turns out, MTV was approached by the cast. According to Frankie (via her tumblr), JP and his production company/whatever that means basically put together a rough pilot and shopped it around. MTV bit and took them on. So that would explain why the friendships and relationships on this show come across so genuine. MTV didn't need to manufacture it, they already existed.

I keep wanting to submit this comment to Frankie directly, but I don't want to be a weird internet hater, but I can't stand this broad Taylor. I feel like I'm the only one who thinks she either a.) wants Ludwin's D or b.) they hooked up in the past, probably off and on and are off right now since she's dating someone. Her scenes sit entirely wrong with me when she is talking to Ludwin about Frankie. But Frankie has nothing but lovely things to say about her, so I've been sitting on that one for awhile, lol.