The 'Jersey Shore' spinoffs: Good idea?

MTV has announced two spinoffs from its megapopular Jersey Shore, both of which will begin taping after the hit show's fourth season wraps up in Italy. In one of the new shows, soulmates JWoww and Snooki will move in together, and figure out how to "deal with life and love when the vacation is over," according to an MTV press release. The other series will track Pauly D as he chases his pre-Jersey Shore dream of becoming a world-class DJ. MTV's decision to expand its empire may be a canny move; it "not-so-subtly masks the fact that the network is preparing for the day when the original Jersey Shore loses some of its spray-tan luster," says Brian Stelter at The New York Times. Are these two shows an effective insurance policy?

This is too much of a good thing: "For those of you who love Jersey Shore, today signifies the beginning of the end of the world’s greatest reality show in the history of television," says The Dishmaster. The new shows will probably attract plenty of viewers, but "I'm also certain [they] will devalue the original series, and will inevitably hurt its ratings." Besides, it's just unoriginal. How about MTV "comes up with another original idea, instead of recycling an existing one?"

"MTV gets greedy — picks up two 'Jersey Shore' spin-offs"

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The new shows will wow you: "These shows will each feel unique and different from Jersey Shore and different from each other," says Chris Linn, MTV's executive vice president of programming and head of production, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The new shows will give viewers the chance to explore the "depth and different sides and layers" to Pauly D, JWoww, and Snooki. And while all three would be involved in any future seasons of the flagship show, "that’s really a different experience because they’re on vacation and it’s a group dynamic."

Jersey Shore new spinoffs will not dilute franchise, says MTV exec

Ugh, enough is enough: "The cast members of Jersey Shore now require the photosynthetic light of the cameras, otherwise they bend and wilt into sad, limpid, Ed Hardy-bedazzled puddles," says Sean O'Neal at The A.V. Club. MTV clearly approved these new series just to fill "those weeks-long voids between seasons of the show, reunion specials, and interviews and appearances promoting seasons of the show and reunion specials."

"MTV picks up two Jersey Shore spin-offs to fill rare Jersey Shore-less hours in schedule"