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‘Hills’ has dramatic return

After a brief respite, Season 3 of MTV “reality” series “The Hills” has returned, and, in this episode, the drama revolved around a dress. But that dress was no ordinary one, as it proved that though “The Hills” may be fluff, it’s stiff fluff to the utmost level of entertainment.

On Monday’s premiere episode, the show’s diva and star, Lauren Conrad, and her ever-responsible bud Whitney Port, arrive in Paris to assist Teen Vogue at the Crillon Ball. Trouble arises immediately when the two decide to pick up their ball gowns before completing their assigned tasks. But the problems don’t stop there for the petite blonde, as, after a night on the town with a herd of French rockers, Conrad discovers a burn mark from a misplaced curling iron on her Alberto Ferretti gown. Fortunately — and suspiciously — the Hills heroine scores a new gown a mere 45 minutes before the Crillon Ball begins.

Meanwhile, back on the other side of the pond, Conrad’s best enemy, Heidi Montag, has returned to her parents’ home in Colorado in an attempt to clear her head about her tumultuous relationship with the dastardly Spencer Pratt. But Montag hasn’t escaped from his clutches quite yet, as she finds Pratt on her doorstop. An awkward meeting later leaves their relationship status hanging in the air — and Pratt without a home.

It seems the drama, save for that surrounding the couture gown, is no different in this season of “The Hills.” In typical fashion, Conrad makes poor decisions and suffers no consequences. The situations seem just as forced, if not more so, than previous seasons. Rumor has it, according to PerezHilton.com, that Conrad’s chain-smoking Parisian escort — one of the aforementioned rockers — was hired by the production staff to show the reality star the sights and sounds of the City of Lights.

But despite the producers’ manipulation of this “reality” show, “The Hills” somehow still manages to delight. Although theatrics were kept to a minimum on Monday night’s premiere episode, it looks as if the drama has just begun. Sometime during the season, Port quits her job at Teen Vogue and, according to editor Lisa Love, sells her soul to the devil. Dirty bad boy Justin Bobby returns and so does “Laguna Beach” alumnus Stephen Colletti. Hopefully we will see some of Conrad’s new fashion line, for which she claims herself as the inspiration. So much for “gaining perspective” in Paris. But sometimes it really is hard not to feel for the girl; after only a week apart, Conrad’s Brody Jenner gets a new girlfriend. As usual, MTV already has viewers thinking, “poor Lauren.”

 

3 stars out of 5