Sunday, January 5, 2020

The Look: Siesta Key - New Year, New Drama, Newbies Galore

CAUTION: Due to a heavy presence of graphics & video, this post is best viewed on desktops & advanced mobile devices.

BY DC CUEVA                        
■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Every winter, a migration takes place that affects the populations of cities throughout North America: in early November when the cooler weather starts to trickle in for those living in the Northeastern United States and Canada, those who are lucky enough who decide that going through the snow isn't exactly their cup of tea. People from a wide range of demographics -- retirees to younger people -- pack up for a few weeks or months, and travel down south to second homes located hundreds of miles away, and hop on RV's to drive to what's known as the Sun Belt of states in the Southern U.S., as well as Mexico and the Caribbean. Considering how cold it is in much of the country this first weekend of 2020, it's a welcome relief for them and for those who yearn for the sun & the heat.

Wintertime has arrived in the world that is MTV Reality, and save for ventures to New Zealand for a winter-themed season of Ex On The Beach among other things, the focal point for many who follow TV's most-talked-about reality shows is on the state of Florida, a haven for those who come here for retirement, and a playground for those young and young at heart to enjoy the sun when everyone else is shivering in the cold. For now, Floribama Shore is into its third season with plenty of drama having gone down in its first month in its new home of St. Pete Beach outside of Tampa Bay. It moving down the way from Panama City Beach brings it much closer in its homebase to another MTV series that debuted in 2017 in one of TV's most-coveted timeslots, and sharing a logical history with one of the channel's legacy hits, as it continues to enjoy its renaissance in relevance.

Summer 2017 saw us head down for the first time to Siesta Key, a small, quaint neighborhood outside Sarasota that is best known to locals for their world famous and top-rated beaches, but thrust into the national spotlight by the MTV cameras. The same producer tandem of Mark Ford & Kevin Lopez -- who blended reality TV, the patented MTV formula and the dramatic world of daytime soap opera in Laguna Beach of over a decade ago -- got to follow a group of friends in this town just a short drive from Sarasota, FL (and an half-hour from SPB) who were older than when they first followed Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari in Orange County. This group has the same fascinating drama and dynamic as their West Coast cousins as they navigated through the pitfalls of adulthood, but with also a more personal touch and awareness of what millennials are going through right now.

The first two seasons of Siesta Key have seen this clique go through so much in two summers in this paradise: the on-and-off again romance of a entrepreneur dad's law school student & the college-aged crush who's had her heart broken many times, the aspiring musician & his ways with ladies including one who got let down last summer, the Midwestern model who ghosted the town's resident gym rat and proceeded to get close with that student's ex, and whatever the source on juicy gossip among this group that she might spill to these people. There's also the gorgeous galas, a rapper's family drama, life for a Navy man and lots more drama that's made this show a guilty pleasure for all of us.

Last year The Hills made its return, and with one of its biggest stars being an avid fan of the show, Spencer Pratt and everyone else are ready to return to Florida for Season 3 of Siesta Key. This time, the ante has been upped in the level of stakes again, thanks in no part by taking a page from that California playbook of bringing in someone a certain group of viewers know to the show, and it's someone who's used to romance with those in the world of reality TV. It's the tip of the iceberg to what promises to be an amazing season - and not just for the buzz that accompanies the road to a new year of drama in the sun. But it's best to take a look back at where we've been before we dive in...


 SEASON 2 IN REVIEW 

Along with the nicer climate, it seems only appropriate that Siesta Key has taken its place of airing during "Cuffing Season," that time of year where singles get paired up, and where love is everywhere in this clique along with side orders of drama.
   Season 2 twelve months ago began with Juliette & Alex having made up and being back together, despite her going back up to college at Florida State and him focusing on law school in Tampa. That's something that, after a birthday party blow-up, caused a riff with her friend Chloe, and something eerie similar might happen again here this winter. As for everyone else, Madisson was back with a friend of hers, Ben, after what went down with her and Brandon after he flirted with Chloe's Tiki bar worker, Canvas... and things were not going well for Kelsey and Garrett.
   But as our second summer in the Key began, it started just like the first one did: a spring break-like backyard pool party in Alex's kingdom of the mansion his family calls home, and who had the lucky contacts of having Rich Homie Quan perform on the pool deck. But two people decided to show up uninvited and with ties to the king of the palace who celebrated his birthday: Alex's ex Cara and Madisson's ex Jared - who's also a vendetta of the party's host. And it's what happened when they showed up -- and him getting into the face of Alex and friend Pauly -- that ignited the fuse to a sultry summer in Siesta Key.
   From a trip to Miami and an Egyptian-themed gala, to the #Jalex snowman finally melting by way of what he did to a girl at a concert... some of the best of Season 2 is below.



















🌞   🌞   🌞

 WELCOME BACK... 

As we all make the trip back down south to the Key this week, the events of what happened last year are still very much fresh on the minds of everyone in this clique, though a lot has gone on for them since we last saw them last spring. And our third summer in paradise will have more drama go down here than in our first two visits to Central Florida, though some things don't change - the parties, the landmarks, the sun, the ocean and the setting all remain the same as do the pretty faces.
   The #Jalex breakup has no doubt changed the complexity of the circle of friends that was once as tight as any other group who goes through the same experiences as these people do. As it was the past two winters (Season 1-B included), those who invade this town like those snowbirds this time of year will come here with intent on mixing things up with the original Siesta Seven with doses of conflict, heartbreak and deception. And a crew that was close to begin with three years ago may end their summer with the dynamic of them not being the same ever again.

All things in this part of town revolve around the queen and the king, and when we left them last time out the video of him flirting with that girl saw Juliette & Alex finally drift away just after he put that now infamous necklace on her... a totally different scenario from twelve months ago. Jules returns here having already gotten her diploma from Florida State and aiming to follow in the lead of the ultimate MTV golden girl, Lauren Conrad, into fashion. And Alex is progressing towards a degree in law school after being on the outs with the group... and both are pursuing new love interests after what has gone on in the first two summers here.
   As with any other investigation into her social contacts, Chloe was the one who discovered his concert night wrongdoing and it led to that porchside confrontation that led her to end things with her childhood friend of many years -- but the latest business transaction for his dad in purchasing a famed local bar led them to rekindle ties both personally, and now professionally on a work level. At the same time, Jules is a close friend of hers, and when the new 21-year-old finds herself in a romance with her rebound man, she will not be afraid to voice her displeasure... and it may bring their friendship towards the breaking point -- quite literally.
   We saw Brandon & Madisson get together for a music video last year and rekindled those memories of Bradisson, but things are different now. After his ways with the ladies the past two seasons including his latest girl Camilla, BG is looking to make a play for a friend of the group and its resident bad girl, Amanda. We remember that night in season 1 where she gave Chloe a broken nose, but for the first time Amanda will find herself in the forefront of the drama than her first two seasons thanks to her own love triangle with her ex - and there may be more with her, too.
   As for Madisson, she came home from college in Texas to begin this show off and pursuing being an engineer. But as Season 3 begins, she is pursuing something much more different: acting, and in Hills country of all places in L.A. And in the teaser video that dropped on the show's social accounts will attest to, the man this 25-year-old is dating is twenty-one years her senior in former SK producer Ish, and who will have to fight for the approval of everyone - and not just because he's had relations with them behind the scenes. Obviously, Chloe and us will have our jaws dropped, too.
   We all remember Kelsey & Garrett's memorable entrance to Alex's party in the very first episode, but it's a different world for them now. For the first time, she is single and enters summertime with nothing to worry about and with an open heart... but it's when her ex comes in that'll spice things up. On the other hand, the gym rat scored Alex's ex Cara last year, but autumn did not treat #Carrett well. Things are on some shaky ground after what happened late last season, and Cara returns here looking to make it work, but they're not sure if a second chance will succeed.
   Cara invaded her ex's rager to start off last year and so did his vendetta Jared, and it didn't take long for him to get closer to Kelsey. Everyone in this group have been enjoying the life of being single and ready to mingle at one time or another in our first three trips here, but only Jared knows what it's like to have a wedding ring around his finger in addition to being a military vet and battling PTSD. But it's when his ex-wife decides to pay a visit does his summer get crashed like everyone else here this summer.









 WHO ARE THESE NEWBIES? 
SIESTA KEY SEASON 3

Like any other good daytime soap opera, people go in and out among those not in the core original group. For this year's notable newbies to Siesta, there are more than a handful who know these people well as friends, new acquaintances and as exes... and we'd thought of giving them the appropriate introduction in the manner that we always offer during our coverage of The Challenge and Ex On The Beach: "Who Are These Newbies?"

💑 As Alex looks to find love with someone new to begin this season, it doesn't take long for him to find his new match: soon-to-be hair salon owner Alyssa. The big question for the king is if he can remain faithful to her considering everything we've seen from him in the past... but the reason for the added anticipation for this season is the fact that they will be the first in this cast to become parents. The events that have gone down since the gender reveal shortly after the Season 3 trailer drop will only heighten both the tension there and our readiness for what will go down here.

💔 Those who watched Season 1-B two years ago might remember Brandon's dreamy heartthrob friend Carson - and had the show been more successful, Vevmo reports that we would've seen him check into FOX's Paradise Hotel with MTV'er Kristin Cavaliari. Fitting that mold of heartthrob this year is JJ, but he might as well be Siesta's resident adrenaline junkie: he loves surfing, 'boarding on the lakes and snow, motorcycling, etc. He also just so happens to be an ex-boyfriend of Amanda's, and will find himself in a battle for her heart with Brandon.

💔 Before returning to Siesta, Jared proudly served this country well in the Navy, and spent the first years of his adult life in a traditional hub of our armed forces of the seas, San Diego. It was there that he got engaged, and later got married, to a young lady named Jessica, but like other relationships that clash with the duties of being in the military, they divorced after some time.

💘 Those who've been keeping up with Team Siesta since Season 2 know that Juliette and Kelsey have done work for influencer marketing agency Rebella. One who works for them is Nebraska native Jake, who co-founded that agency and works with them and other notable MTV'ers such as Joss of The Challenge and Corey of EOTB Season 2, and has brought them around the globe.

And it's with that prized gig with him, Jules and Kels that brings us to the biggest newcomer of all to Siesta... and it was four years ago that the reality TV journey began for someone who follows in the footsteps of three others to MTV - but not to Ex On The Beach but to a different kind of sand.
   This weekend, Robby Hayes celebrates his birthday having grown up hours north of Sarasota in Jacksonville and was a former competitive swimmer, though he was born north of the state border in Georgia. Like Juliette (and fellow MTV alum Kathryn from AYTO 5), he went to Florida State and spent all four years on the Seminoles' varsity swim team having held the mark in the 200 individual medley and ranks top 10 in the 100 & 200 frees and 100 fly, earning an honorable mention in swimming's All-American honors in 2009 in the 4x200 free relay for FSU.
   After studying for a Finance Masters degree at FSU's longtime football rival University of Miami, in 2016 a 27-year-old Robby decided to take a crack at both romance and reality television, and was chosen for JoJo Fletcher's season of The Bachelorette -- yes, that same season where she met her fiance Jordan Rodgers, and where Robby competed with future EOTB singles Chase McNary, Chad Johnson and current Peak of Love resident Daniel Maguire. In his bio, Robby described himself as
"motivated, handsome, genuine" and a "hopeless romantic because there is nothing more satisfying than a genuine, big smile from the girl you would give the world to."
   His time on The Bachelorette began with him presenting JoJo a bottle of the bubbly when he came out of the limo, but once he was part of the contingent who traveled with her to Uruguay that Robby began to get the know the girl who got rejected by Ben Higgins thanks to a solo date with JoJo. That continued in Bueno Aires, Argentina where, during a group date with Chase, Robby played truth or dare and stripped down to his underwear - enough for him to get a rose and advance to the hometown visits. He showed JoJo around St. Augustine in a horse carriage and met his mom who brought up a relationship he had with a girl prior to going onto the show - which he clarified was a lie to her.
   Robby, Chase and Jordan then flew to Thailand for the final two dates, where the swimmer got a Thai message, then reassured his love for JoJo inside the fantasy suite. Robby then crashed her fantasy date with Chase to discuss their personal matters before she sent the future Challenger home, and she gave Robby & Jordan the last two roses and a visit from the Fletcher family. For the last date, he had plans to bring her to a secluded beach on a private island in a familiar Challenge setting of Phuket, but once he arrived she had already settled on Jordan... and Robby was first in the hot seat on the reunion to discuss how he was blindsided - and rejected the future Mrs. Rodgers' apology.







After his JoJo heartbreak, Robby got two additional chances at redemption on Bachelor in Paradise: a year after, he was one of the first to enter Season 4 - the same season as all the drama with the sexual harassment mess and sharing a house with Daniel, Paulie's ex Danielle and EOTB1 single Jasmine. After briefly wooing over Bachelor 2017 runner-up Raven Gates, Robby then made a connection with Amanda Stanton, ex-fiance of Bachelor Nation's first MTV rep, Champs vs. Stars I's Josh Murray... and after an early false start they began to explore more of their relationship. And even after they left BIP separated, Robby & Amanda had enough feelings for each other that they gave it a second shot... and after he asked her to be his girlfriend, she found pictures of him with another girl.
   That cheating scandal haunted Robby & Amanda well after the final rose, including when Emily & Haley Ferguson went in on him for stepping out, and months after the exes had it out over Disneyland passes. Still heartbroken, Robby got another chance in Paradise the following year as a latecomer to the villa but didn't fare as well as the previous summer. Before this MTV crossover - and as this site wrote last year, Robby was last on our screens on Vanderpump Rules Season 7 when he went on a date in downtown L.A. with Scheana Shay, months after they were first spotted going on vacay together in Hawaii. They were then pictured together once again last summer, while the saga surrounding a leaked sex tape reportedly involving Robby and Josh made to Lindsie Chrisley, daughter of USA Network reality star Todd, for which Robby has denied any involvement, and for which federal authorities are investigating possible tax evasion with the Christleys.








In any case, and whatever startling twists & turns have & will emerge now until Tuesday night, there are so many factors to which this season of Siesta Key will commence amidst this backdrop of varied storylines involving all of its castmates. Of course, The Hills thrived on this kind of immense tabloid buzz when it aired back then and now with it returning last year, and those who got to welcome back Speidi and co. will now join them to watch the East Coast drama unfold again - along with those who followed Robby on his three seasons in Bachelor Nation and drawn by his latest reality relationship.
   Siesta Key helped spark memories of what went down in California over a decade ago and brought a new generation to this fascinating subgenre of reality soap - now commonplace on the TV dial, and yet has stayed true to the Laguna/Hills formula with its personalities, its cinematic style, its beachy feel and its soundtrack. And with Alex & Alyssa's entry to parenthood, the Juliette/Robby romance, Madisson's romance with someone older than her and everything else, we should be in for quite a season. Get that popcorn ready, and welcome back to another year in the Key...

- I AM DC
#DCBLOG
Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Got something on your mind? Let us know! But please be mindful and do not post spam or negative comments (due to that, all comments are subject to blogger approval... and we reserve the right to disable these sections if things get way out of hand).

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)