Netflix dropped its new reality series on Thursday, and critics are not buying into the hometown glamour.
Netflix's new reality series 'Calabasas Confidential' premiered Thursday to negative reviews. Critics say the 14-person cast lacks chemistry and the show fails to live up to the city's reality TV legacy.
Netflix dropped its new reality series on Thursday, and critics are not buying into the hometown glamour.
The eight-episode show premiered on May 29 with a cast of 14 young adults returning to their Calabasas roots after college. The series leans heavily on the city's reputation as the birthplace of reality television fame. Calabasas is best known as the longtime home of the Kardashian family. Netflix is betting that the next wave of reality stars lives in the same zip code.
Early reviews say the series fails to deliver.
Variety published a review on May 29 that was blunt in its assessment. The publication wrote that the show's premise of reuniting high school friends lacks organic chemistry.
"Based on the first season's eight episodes, such a vertiginous ascent seems unlikely. Then again, so did that of the stars' obvious role models."
Variety noted that the ensemble of 14 cast members feels forced. The review singled out the storyline between cast member Jemma and her high school ex Dylan as the most compelling thread. Dylan earned the nickname Douchebag Dylan from Variety for his behavior on the show.
Another reviewer at Ready Steady Cut was even harsher. Staff writer Naomi Mairs called the series "eight hours of my life I won't get back."
"There is absolutely nothing special about this series. Nothing new, nothing exciting, and nothing to differentiate it from similar reality shows like Selling Sunset, Buying London, or Temptation Island."
Mairs criticized the repetitive nature of the drama. She noted that multiple female cast members fall into the same relationship conflicts with the same male cast members. The review concluded that the show adds no value to viewers' lives.
The show features children of well-known celebrities, according to an E! Online cast breakdown published on May 29.
Cast members include:
E! Online reported that Bret Michaels appeared in a cameo. He advised his daughter Raine to follow her bliss. She responded by asking if he would be okay with her working on FeetFinder, a platform for selling foot photos.
Netflix published a filming location guide on Tudum, its official blog, highlighting local Calabasas businesses featured in the series.
The guide named these spots:
The Tudum guide also featured the Calabasas Stairs, a trailhead with 375 stairs in the Santa Monica Mountains. Cast member Alexie recommended the hike for a workout.
Variety pointed out an ironic moment in the series. Cast member Suede insulted someone for living in the Valley during an episode of a show titled Calabasas Confidential. Calabasas sits on the western edge of the San Fernando Valley.
"Would Suede even bother driving over the hill, let alone spending time with her supposed friends, if there weren't a television crew waiting to greet her?"
Variety compared the show unfavorably to The Hills, the MTV series that followed Lauren Conrad. The publication noted that The Hills had the advantage of viewer familiarity with the cast's history. Calabasas Confidential lacks that foundation.
All eight episodes are available to stream on Netflix.
This article was generated with AI assistance.