Between the fist pumping and hair gelling of three seasons of Jersey Shore, there were some memorable moments that will stick with viewers long after the orange tans have faded. From the good of GTL times to the bad of toilet terror, here’s a look back at the best and worst moments of Jersey Shore.
If it weren’t for Jersey Shore, the world would never have known the wonder that is “GTL.” The housemates’ daily routine of gym, tan, and laundry became a pop culture phenomenon. Apparently, every guido abides by this daily ritual, which is the recipe for a perfect night out.
Does a rectal exam ever make good TV? The answer is no. Always no. When Ronnie wakes up sick after a night of heavy drinking, he goes to the doctor to get it checked out. The shot of Ronnie getting a rectal exam would make even the biggest juice-head cringe.
It was a punch heard ‘round the world. In season one, self-proclaimed guidette Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi gets punched in the kisser after accusing another bar patron of stealing drinks. The man who hit her, a gym teacher from Queens, was arrested and suspended from his job. Snooki suffered swelling and bruising, but said she was glad that the shocking footage was played on TV. The producers were probably pretty happy too because that one scene made the show an instant sensation.
While Jersey Shore is not the show to watch if you abhor low-brow humor, sometimes the jokes sink to the lowest of the low and would only be funny to a third grader. When the majority of an episode is spent watching Snooki smear cheese on The Situation’s bed, you know it’s a slow day in the Jersey Shore house.
Maybe the producers were running low on drama, but season three focuses way too heavily on a broken downstairs toilet story line. Sure, one episode about the broken bowl would have been fine, but at least four episodes chronicle the trials and tribulations of a nasty toilet. The only lessons learned? Don’t put articles of clothing down the toilet, and call a plumber sooner rather than later.
After roommate Angelina leaves the house due to “trust issues” in season two, the guys decide to ease the tension with a little musical number: “T-shirt Time.” An ode to the event each night when the dudes change from their wife beaters to their Ed Hardy t-shirts for their night out, the tune could be the opening number for “Jersey Shore: The Musical.”
Listing all of the sleazy hot tub scenes in Jersey Shore would take far too much time, so focusing on the first and particularly gross will have to do. In the very first episode, the guys bring home some nameless women to party in the hot tub. Clothes come off, and the female housemates get all sorts of pissed. But who are these women (who each have their own promiscuous moments within the show) to get upset at a little skanky action?
Most of the time, the Jersey Shore men are trying to find a one-night-stand that isn’t a grenade. But in season two, the softer side of housemate Vinny is revealed when he falls for what he calls one of the “rarest roses” and wants to take her out on a bona fide date. But his womanizing karma bites him in the butt when his “rose” stands him up for his double date with Pauly D.
When Vinny’s family drops by the house to provide a real Italian meal for the group, we get a peek into what kind of environment spawns someone like Vinny. One shot of his Uncle Nino, who they call an “OG” for “original guido” and it’s clear that this is a culture that’s passed down for decades, along with a serious lack of health-conscious eating as we watched the cast gorge themselves on pasta and meat.
They’re together, they’re not together, they’re breaking each other’s possessions. Who cares? While their violent fights and passionate make-up sessions may have made for good TV, Sammi and Ronnie’s tumultuous relationship got old really fast, and has been milked to death.