We Were Wrong. ‘College Hill: Celebrity Edition’ Feels Right.
Most were skeptical about a “College Hill” reboot with a celeb cast, but after several episodes in, the reaction has been largely favorable.
(Paras Griffin via Getty Images for BET)
Chicago — News of a reboot of BET’s hit reality show “College Hill” from the early 2000s didn’t sit well with fans when the cast was announced and it was full of celebrities instead of regular students.
The show followed the lives of students at HBCUs – Atlanta’s Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College and included those from Georgia State University; Langston University; Southern University and A&M College; University of the Virgin Islands; and Virginia State University – lasted six seasons in the early 2000s. There was also “College Hill: Interns” which followed various HBCU students during a summer internship in Chicago.
Fans wanted to see the show based on the original format. No one wanted to see “entitled,” “privileged” celebrities taking up space at an HBCU, or any college. And they didn’t want to see it behind a paywall on BET+
The sentiment was that while it’s a reality show, there would be no focus on the realities of being a regular college student. Some wanted to see dorm life, making it to class on time, talking with professors, life on campus in between classes, etc. People wanted to see the struggles and good times of college life. They wanted to see something relatable.
After several episodes, the show – filmed at Texas Southern University starring DreamDoll, India Love, Big Freedia, Nene Leakes, Slim Thug/Big Slim, Lamar Odom, Ray J and Stacey Dash – has received mostly positive feedback.
While you barely get to see TSU students navigating college life, you do get a glimpse of being taught by HBCU professors, how to balance school and home life, overcoming anxiety and respecting a person’s pronouns.