Creators:
Kevin Burns
Hugh Hefner
Cast:
Hugh Hefner ………. Himself
Holly Madison ………. Herself
Kendra Wilkinson ………. Herself
Bridget Marquardt ………. Herself
The Show
Have you ever wondered what’s it like to be Hugh Hefner. The man that is the founder of Playboy Magazine, the elite adult men’s magazine. Men want to be him and women want to be around him. Not bad for an 80-year-old man. He even has three girlfriends. If you have ever wondered what it’s like to have three beautiful girlfriends and half-naked women running around all the time, along with having all of the money that you ever could want, then wonder no more. The Girls Next Door takes you behind the gates of the Playboy mansion and into the lives of Hugh Hefner and his three girlfriends, Holly, Kendra, and Bridget.
The stars of this show are actually the girlfriends; Hefner is just a mere supporting character on this show. We learn all about Holly, Kendra, and Bridget, following them around as they live at the Mansion.
Even though all of the girls look alike, each girlfriend has a different personality and style that is unique and really makes the show work. Holly is Hugh’s “main” girl. She shares a bedroom with him. She might be the smartest girlfriend of them all. She is also the most creative one and wants to get more involved in the business side of Playboy. She also hopes to marry Hugh one day and have a baby with him.
Bridget is the oldest girlfriend and probably the most sweet and caring compared to the others. She loves horror movies, chocolate, holidays, and her animals. She wants to get into the entertainment side of Playboy.
Finally, there’s the youngest girlfriend, Kendra. She is the funniest and the wildest girlfriend. She loves sports and loves to be around the atheletes that Playboy attracts. But for someone who seems so energetic, she can also be just as lazy. Though, you can’t help but love her, and her addicting laugh, even if she isn’t the smartest person around.
Season one of the show was a surprise success on the E! network. On paper, the show seems like a dumb idea for a reality show. Why would we want to follow around the girlfriends of Hugh Hefner? Well once people started watching the show, they found out why you want to learn all about these women as they are quirky, funny, nice, and pretty much everything that you thought they wouldn’t be.
One thing that I must warn you about, though, is the nudity. If you think that this show is nothing but naked women running around all the time, you will be disappointed. There is actually less nudity than you might think. That’s not to say that there isn’t any nudity, because there is usually a few scenes in every episode where there is. But, really, there is just the right amount of nudity to go along with storyline of each episode. The women are beautiful with or without their clothes on, and you really won’t notice the lack of nudity once you start watching the show. In fact, when you do notice the nudity it feels quite natural. You really become apart of the Playboy family that way. Nudity is really no big deal.
One of the surprise reality TV hits of 2005 has started its third season this year. The second season joins the first on DVD, and it’s just as funny and entertaining as the first season. So, If you can’t get a job with Playboy, then this is the next best way to enter Hugh Hefner’s world. That way, you will get a taste of what it’s like to live like Hugh Hefner.
Episodes:
Disc One:
Episode 1 – Here’s Looking at You, Hef!
Hef and the girls kick off their “best weekend ever” with a special Casablanca Night in honor of Hef’s favorite film.
Episode 2 – Eighty is the New Forty
Hef’s 80th birthday bash is truly an affair to remember, with cool celebrities, hot ladies, and an unforgettable striptease courtesy of the lovely Bridget.
Episode 3 – Career Dazed
In the wake of their recent success, the girls give some thought to the future as Holly designs a line of jewelry and Bridget tries a career in broadcasting.
Episode 4 – Mutiny on the Booty
Holly, Kendra and Bridget gear up for their second Playboy pictorial, featuring themes highlighting each girl’s unique personality.
Episode 5 – San Diego or Bust
An emotional visit to Kendra’s hometown provides the girlfriends with a fun-filled day of sightseeing, fine dining, and flashing.
Disc Two:
Episode 6 – Heavy Petting
Spring is in the air, and the girls play Easter Bunny, decorating eggs and preparing the Mansion for Hef’s annual Easter celebration.
Episode 7 – Sleepwear Optional
The torrid trio throws a sexy slumber party in honor of Kara Monaco, Playboy‘s 2006 Playmate of the Year. Not surprisingly, nobody gets any sleep!
Episode 8 – I See London, I see France
It’s a British invasion of a different kind as the girls embark on a two-week European jaunt. Wait ’til you catch Holly’s joie de vivre!
Episode 9 – When in Rome
The European tour continues as the girls flamenco dance in Barcelona, soak up the atmosphere at a German beer hall, and fend off Italian paparazzi.
Episode 10 – Baby Talk
Back in the States, Holly throws a baby shower for an expectant Playmate, while Kendra takes on some pesky prank callers.
Episode 11 – The 21 Club
Kendra celebrates her 21st birthday Vegas style, complete with diamond-encrusted pimp cup and matching dental grill. Bling, bling!
Disc Three:
Episode 12 – Girls Will Be Ghouls
Letting their morbid curiosity get the best of them, the girls embark on a spooky tour of some wickedly infamous Hollywood haunts.
Episode 13 – The Age of Aquarium
The girlfriends surf the airwaves, appearing live on Lovelines with Dr. Drew. And, there’s something fishy about Holly and Hef’s fifth anniversay celebration.
Episode 14 – Rabbit Season
The girls interview Bunny candidates for the new Playboy Club in Las Vegas, and Kendra emphasizes their important qualities: booty, booty, booty!
Episode 15 – We Can Work It Out
Holly, Kendra, and Bridget prepare to whip the viewers into shape when they sign on to star in a workout video for Exercise TV.
Episode 16 – Playboys After Dark
Sin City, here we come! Hef and his girlfriends are off to Las Vegas for the grand opening of the fabulous Playboy Club at the Palms Casino Resort.
The Video:
The video is given in fullscreen color with an aspect ratio of 1:33.1. Transfer is good with minimal distortion. It’s about as good as it was on national television. That’s all it needs to be, though, as the quality on television was better than average.
The Audio:
The audio included is available in English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound. No problems here either. There are subtitles available in English and Spanish as well. Again the quality of the sound is just as good as it was on television. No surround sound of anything, but there are no special effects or blaring music needed for this show.
The Extras:
Audio Commentaries –
There are audio commentaries from Holly, Kendra, and Bridget on all 16 episodes in this season. These are great as the girls are just as funny when they are watching these episodes as when they were in the actual episodes. Definitely, must-watch listening after seeing the season the first time.
Deleted Scenes –
The usual stuff you would expect here. Usually, though, deleted scenes were cut for a reason and add nothing to the show or film that they were cut from. Here it’s a different story. There is actually some good fun stuff in these deleted scenes. They were just cut from the show for time reasons.
Episode Promos –
You have the option to view the promo and preview that was shown originally on E! for the next week’s episode before each of the episodes on this DVD set. This really isn’t needed, since you don’t really need a reason to watch each episode when you have bought or rented the DVD set. You’re already going to watch every episode, whether you have a preview or not.
“Happy Birthday, Hef!” Special Premiere Episode –
Basically, the first two episodes of this season originally aired in an one-hour episode. You can watch those two episodes together again as it was originally aired in the premiere of the second season. You can watch both episodes individually, so really no need for this but it’s here.
This is one of the best reality shows on television. There is no overplayed drama that can sometimes weigh down certain reality shows. This is just a good fun show that is not serious in any way. The girls are beautiful and funny, and the Playboy Universe is an interesting one indeed. If you haven’t seen the series, then you must rent it if you are at least a casual fan of reality television. One look and you are sure to be hooked.
