ABC Family, the network best known for its hit teen soaps, has officially entered the reality field with the premiere of "The Vineyard." Set on Martha's Vineyard, the show centers on 11 locals and visitors who come together to take on what is sure to be an eventful summer. While the new series does show some promise, the question remains whether it can find the same success as the channel's scripted programming.
The premise of "The Vineyard" is not exactly original, using the same formula as "The Hills" and "The Real World." In this case, the strangers live together in the same home while working at a restaurant named The Black Dog House. But just because it's redundant doesn't mean it's not any good. In fact the first episodes have already been drama-filled, especially between Katie, Jackie and Gabby.
So will "The Vineyard" live up to other ABC Family shows like "Pretty Little Liars" and "Twisted," which fit perfectly within the network's teen soap opera niche? So far the reality series leaves a lot to be desired. But with the risk of venturing into new genres of programming comes the potential reward of gaining a new type of audience. "The Vineyard" might prove to be a breakout success after all.
3 out of 5 doubloons
Amanda Boyer can be reached at amanda.boyer@student.shu.edu.
