The Situation's spinoff: MTV’s worst idea yet?

Following in the illustrious footsteps of Snooki, JWoww, and Pauly D, Jersey Shore's resident ab expert cuts a deal for a dubious spinoff show of his own

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino busts his signature move outside the MTV movie awards last year: The "Jersey Shore" cast mate is the fourth to get a spinoff.
(Image credit: RD / Scott Kirkland / Retna Di/Retna Ltd./CORBIS)

Jersey Shore, the MTV reality show documenting the mating, drinking, dancing, staring-into-space, and tanning habits of young Italian Americans, stands as the one-time music network's most successful television series ever. No wonder its cast members are getting spinoff-show deals at a dizzying rate. First, a series featuring Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jenni "JWoww" Farley was announced, then another starring Paul "DJ Pauly D" Delvecchio. And now, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, known for his rock-hard abs and little else, has cut his own deal. The news has fans and commentators questioning MTV's sanity. Is this really such a horrible idea?

No, it makes business sense: These sure-to-succeed spinoffs will help "us to expand out from the base of Jersey Shore without taking away from what Jersey Shore is," says MTV exec Chris Linn, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. But rest assured, The Situation and all the other cast members will "continue to be involved in any potential future cycles of Jersey Shore."

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