"The Beautiful Life: TBL" (2009) TV series

Creators:

Adam Giaudrone
Ashton Kutcher

Seasons:

1

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Show revolves around a group of models living together in a co-ed residence in New York.

Plot Keywords:

Model | New York | Fashion | Drug Use | New York City

Cast

Mischa Barton	...	Sonja Stone (2 episodes, 2009)
Ben Hollingsworth	...	Chris Andrews (2 episodes, 2009)
Nico Tortorella	...	Cole Shepherd (2 episodes, 2009)
Corbin Bleu	...	Isaac / ... (2 episodes, 2009)
Ashley Madekwe	...	Marissa Delfina (2 episodes, 2009)
Sara Paxton	...	Raina Marrinelli (2 episodes, 2009)
Elle Macpherson	...	Claudia Foster (2 episodes, 2009)
Jaime Murray	...	Vivienne (2 episodes, 2009)
Jordan Woolley	...	Egan (2 episodes, 2009)
Billy Magnussen	...	Alex Marinelli (2 episodes, 2009)
Shaun Hasas	...	Model (2 episodes, 2009)

Also Known As:

The Beautiful Life (USA) (working title)

Filming Locations:

Kaufman Astoria Studios - 3412 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

CBS Paramount Domestic Television

Trivia:

Mischa Barton had to have her ears pierced especially for her role as Sonja Stone.

Trashy people in a trashy world. OK TV.

From the look of the new teen soap-opera, TBL looks like a hit. But sometimes a success with a wide audience has to be on the cost of good taste, which is the case here.

The pilot episode takes place in NYC. Farmboy Chris from Ohio is enjoying his last days of the holiday, when he is accidentally spotted by a modeling agent, Simon. And throughout the rest of the episode Chris rams himself into more than enough drama, considered it only is supposed to show the first 42 hours of his modeling career. From the agency, to the photo-shoot, to the model-house, to the party.

This is basically the over-the-top drama from 'Americas Next Top Model' fusioned with the glamour of the hit show 'Gossip Girl' and on top of all this there is a bit of bad social realism (Drugs etc.).

But even though the first episodes' storyline is poorly written and most of the camera-work is very amateur, it somehow works. The young cast of the show saves it (especially Sarah Paxton as Raina). They make all of the trashy drama in some way believable. Because they are trashy actors portraying trashy people in a trashy world.

I hope we, in the next few weeks, will see that this show weren't a waste of our time and CW's money. But i doubt that.

UPDATE: Apparently the show was a waste of our time and CW's money. The show has now been cancelled. I'm not the least surprised.