Season 1, Episode 1:
In the inaugural episode of Jersey Shore, we meet our cast, fates sealed before they realize it: Snooki (tender), Ron (anger problems), JWoww (anger problems), The Situation (anger problems that manifest as destructive meddling), Vinny (taking a tentative step outside the womb of his Staten Island family home), Angelina (anger problems), and Pauly D (handsome, despite what others at Jezebel believe).
“Who is this? Who the fuck is this?” the stranger demands.
They move into a house with wood paneling and collectively engage in problem drinking. Snooki, the emotional heart of this series, craves tenderness but is met with cruelty when her pursuit of connection leads her to over-indulge and act inappropriately. Isolated from the group, she tries to make a phone call, only to find a stranger on the line: “Who is this? Who the fuck is this?” the stranger demands. Our housemates, given a rare opportunity to view their lives as televised narrative, may very well be asking themselves the same thing.
Comprehension questions: Have you ever felt as sad as Snooki feels in the first episode of Jersey Shore? What is your greatest sadness?
