Toronto has its own version of The Hills, thanks to Jaclife
If Torontonians ever craved a lower-budget, less glamorous version of The Hills, it has its answer in Jaclife, a new Web series on Slice.ca. The show, which aired on Monday, follows Jaclyn Genovese, owner of the Queen West boutique Jacflash, and her friends as they run the store, stage fashion shows and party—because if TV is missing one thing, it’s shows centred on rich, young, attractive white women.
The episodes are only five minutes, and while short on trips to Pinkberry and aerial shots of Toronto played to Natasha Bedingfield songs (though there is an opening pan of a streetcar), they’re long on inane chatter and pushing around racks of clothes. Episode one (“Meet the Jaclife Family”) is an introduction to the well-groomed group of PYTs with whom Lauren—whoops, we mean Jaclyn—cavorts, her luxury condo, her boutique (where “from 11–7 we dress Toronto’s most fashionable and famous”) and parties where girls literally pour vodka down their throats.
Cynics will have a field day with this, particularly the microsite that gives readers an insight into the Jacflash lingo of such words as “baggayy,” meaning baggy, and “actually factually,” meaning actually. (It’s like they’re speaking Cantonese!) Mindless entertainment to be sure, but we always enjoy a quick splash in a shallow pool.
• Episode 1: Meet the Jaclife Family [Slice]
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/toronto-has-its-own-version-of-the-hills-thanks-to-jaclife/&title=Toronto has its own version of The Hills, thanks to Jaclife&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/screen-capture-2.png&description=[caption id="attachment_19843" align="alignright" width="320" caption="All they need is Justin Bobby (Image: Slice)"][/caption]
If Torontonians ever craved a lower-budget, less glamorous version of The Hills, it has its answer in Jaclife, a new Web series on Slice.ca. The show, which aired on Monday, follows Jaclyn Genovese, owner of the Queen West boutique Jacflash, and her friends as they run the store, stage fashion shows and party—because if TV is missing one thing, it's shows centred on rich, young, attractive white women.
The episodes are only five minutes, and while short on trips to Pinkberry and aerial shots of Toronto played to Natasha Bedingfield songs (though there is an opening pan of a streetcar), they're long on inane chatter and pushing around racks of clothes. Episode one ("Meet the Jaclife Family") is an introduction to the well-groomed group of PYTs with whom Lauren—whoops, we mean Jaclyn—cavorts, her luxury condo, her boutique (where "from 11–7 we dress Toronto's most fashionable and famous") and parties where girls literally pour vodka down their throats.
Cynics will have a field day with this, particularly the microsite that gives readers an insight into the Jacflash lingo of such words as “baggayy,” meaning baggy, and “actually factually,” meaning actually. (It’s like they’re speaking Cantonese!) Mindless entertainment to be sure, but we always enjoy a quick splash in a shallow pool.
• Episode 1: Meet the Jaclife Family [Slice]){kind=link}
Watched the webisode, which I believe is about 5 minutes. (five minutes too long). We are far too late for a “Hills” spin-off – can we not come up with something new?
Also, I think we’ve had enough of watching the privileged lives of these pretty young things. How about a show where these little monsters come to my workplace.
Part of the beauty of the Hills is that it was fantasy – this is the kind of stuff and the kinds of people I RUN FROM.
So sad.
Wow, more mindless tv . I could not even get through the 5 minutes.
Boring, boring , boring.
This show is beyond a pathetic…it’s a cheap knock-off! I’m embarrassed for all those girls.
I miss the days of Degrassi, that looked at real life issues, portrayed by a realistic cast – these are the ingredients for good tv.
hahaha this is HILARIOUS, you would think slice tv could up with something a little more creative and intelligent instead of following around a bunch of ‘wealthy’ (obviously from their parents) white girls who like to get vip at bars. yawwwwnnnn …AT least jersey shore had its funny perks. Iam going to make a good assumption that the only people watching this will be the ones that are ‘friends’ with jaclife… and by friends i mean the ones who use them to be on tv or get vip at bars. I can’t wait to hear what the critics have to say about this college video taped tv show haha.
i went to school with this girl… yes very rich. gotta give it to her that she’s doing what she wants and having fun… but the show might just prove her life isn’t that exciting, different, or dramatic!
maybe they need to hire writers and a nemesis…
Disinteresting and terrible. Quality writing please. Back to HBO for me.
I’m so happy private school girls have positive role models to look up to. They can now live the stereotype and still be contributing members of society by remaining the stereotype.
Wow, and to think I only had the the lacklustre merch at Jacflash as a reason to steer clear of that shop. This makes avoiding them that much easier. Honestly, who would want to fund this inanity? Maybe also time to move this bottle blonde ambition to King West where it belongs.