The Hard Times of RJ Berger

I've never been all that huge on TV shows. Last school year my girlfriend got into the show Weeds, and by about the end of the first season, I was hooked as well. Since we got up to season five of that show, however, nothing has especially hooked me.

Then, about a month ago, I was digging through Netflix Instant Watch and found a little gem I'd been wanting to watch for a while, but was never really sure about. You see, it's hard to have high expectations for a show that lies on a channel with a slew of reality trash. Jersey Snore? No, thanks. Teen Mom? Umm, well, you see... no...

And MTV's attempt at another show, My Life as Liz, which wasn't a reality show, definitely failed whenever I watched it. I often found myself bored, and I had mostly lost all hope in MTV.

But I'd seen commercials for the show, and little bits of the show here and there, and the one or two times I watched it, I laughed for a few minutes. So I decided that I'd check it out, and let me tell you, I was NOT let down!

This show is hilarious! It definitely makes me miss high school, but just the concept of why his life is such a roller coaster is funny in the first place. You see, RJ has something that, stereotypically and superficially, most men would want to have. I think if you can't figure it out for yourself, this show is already not going to be funny for you.

RJ and his friends are definitely immature, but they're in for some good, not very clean, fun. This is NOT a show for kids, but more of an older teen, young adult crowd. I'd say the best age range would be sixteen to twenty-three. I'd also say, keep your kids away from this show at all costs. This is not for them. There are a ton of sexual references, some drug references, some bleeped out curse words, and a bit of violence as well.

If you're wondering more about the show, RJ is a high school nerd. He is tormented by the jocks of the school, in love with the most beautiful girl in school, constantly pursued by this nasty girl Lily, whom you'll learn to hate in no time flat, and is always having misadventures with his best friend Miles. The show deals with issues that a lot of high school kids can face, from bullying, to a divorce. It also deals with some more shallow, but definitely humorous issues, such as when your mom starts dating your (SPOILER) gym coach, or when you lose your innocence to (SPOILER) THE SPAWN OF SATAN (not really, but close).

This show is hilarious, and while it's definitely immature, and the first season gets a little repetitive at times. It's worth a watch. Check out the first season, commercial free on Netflix, and if you like it, check out the rest of the episodes on www.MTV.com, all for free, and completely legal!

Thanks for reading!