This week write your blog response focussing on the first two episodes of East Los High. You can refer to other texts that we’ve watched, read, and discussed.
This week write your blog response focussing on the first two episodes of East Los High. You can refer to other texts that we’ve watched, read, and discussed.
East Los High is a show that has two different story lines with different sort of dramatic scenes. At the beginning of the first episode, it was hard to tell what this show was about due to its mysterious (a result of dim lighting and slow/creepy music). I like how the unstable camera shots create a sense of action of the mystery girl, who is stealing items and then getting beaten up (later we find that she is Jesse’s cousin). The criminal portrayal of Jesse’s cousin made Jesse’s life seem “glamorous” due to her fancy prom dress and makeup station. When Jacob and Vanessa are being crowned prom king and queen, I realized that this show was going to be solely based on image and jealousy. Vanessa is really popular but she ends up getting filmed while cheating on Jacob. I thought there was a sense of entitlement in Vanessa’s life. Popularity gives her a sense of superiority, which enables her to go against the rules. Even though Jacob is the most popular guy in school, he values relationships and storms off when he saw the sex tape of Vanessa. I liked how Jacob goes for the “nerdy girl” because it is against the stereotypes of a typical high school relationship. I love how Jacob and Jesse compliment each other. Jacob is raising the social standing of Jesse and giving her attention that she has been longing for in her high school career. On the other hand, Jesse has a great personality and genuinely likes Jacob for who he is rather than his status as the “most popular kid in school.” The fact that Jacob likes Jesse for her personality gives more value to women as people instead of sex objects.
Here’s a link about the show: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/east-los-high-how-hulu-590957
I definitely have to agree with the way Sam (above) described his perspective of the show and Jessies life. The show in the beginning definitely had somewhat of an ominous fell to it much like that of murder mystery. I also took form the Winter formal that Jessie and her friend (mostly her friend) were very much concerned with the “image” constantly gossiping about the people at the dance. After the filming I was definitely pulled into the series, wanting to know who it was that filmed Vanessa cheating. I felt the show was very relevant to today in the area of gender. In most films its the guy who approaches the female protagonist but in ELH (specifically at the dance) Jessie is encouraged to make the first move.I feel like this is a true portrayal of today in that females, as appose to the image of being swept off their feet, are now able to take action and make things happen as also demonstrated by Jessie’s cousin. I did feel that the high school hierarchy established was a bit played out, however was different this time around in that the nerds (specifically Jessie’s Friend) stand up to Vanessa and her attitude.
The sex, drama, and action definitely act as a magnet attracting viewers of all ages.
The characters on this show come from humble beginnings between the two main characters. Jessie’s mom works long hours, and Jacob’s father works in a taqueria. Jessie, has goals and ambitions and does not want to end up like her aunt getting pregnant at a young age, so she has abstained and now has to deal with the dilemma of making Jacob her first love. Jacob, who is shown so far as sensitive and care more about Jessie than her looks, unlike his ex is willing to take it slow in order to have a healthy relationship.
I feel that the goal of this show is to show its viewers what life is like in Campo California, through the lens of Jessie who lives in a predominantly latino neighborhood in Los Angeles which is hindered by gangs and drugs. However, this show sheds a positive light that those neighborhoods are not entirely bad and that the people who live there are just normal kids who live in a bad environment. It also displays that even though they may live in a rough neighborhood, people always have it worse as we have seen with her cousin who is visiting from Texas who clearly has a troubled past.
I have seen advertisements for this show on Hulu constantly, in which I initially perceived it to be just another random TV drama, superficially and over-dramatically representing the problems within teen life. Contrary to my initial beliefs, this show stands as an educational program of sorts to reveal how to deal with and avoid problems in the lives of Latino teens. I thoroughly enjoyed the film elements used, that Sam and Javier discussed, in which the cinematic aspect was extremely highlighted. It allowed me to see the show as more than just another teen show, but as a show with a purpose and as a representation of cinematic art. Those elements, such as lighting and scenery, truly reflected the character’s lives and pulled me more into the story. Somewhat similar to Orange is The New Black, the show does cover topics that are seen as questionable in society, but it does so in a way that portrays reality in its purest form, to which the educating purpose of the show is displayed. Even further, the show does not only portray content that is relevant to the lives of Latino teens only, it is relatable to almost all teens. It has the popular girl, the popular guy, the troublemaker, the outcast striving to become accepted, and more. These archetypes are central in basically all high school lives, in which the acts of cheating, promiscuity, gossiping, and interacting with drama as a whole are all extremely prevalent in high schools all over the world. Therefore, I am not surprised by the popular reaction to the show, as its influence extends far beyond it’s intended audience and purpose, as it is a form of entertainment and education for a range of different people.
I had never heard about this show before, but I always think it’s cool when a show is released only on websites such as Hulu or Netflix. At first, I didn’t really click with the show. The introduction immediately hinted that this was going to be a Latino/ Spanish type show because the music had some Spanish lyrics. I liked the intro because it was fast paced an fun and it showed characters that we haven’t met yet. I read the background information article, but other than that, I didn’t really know anything about the show. I like the was that they used flashback scenes to show the progression of Maya’s character. They don’t come right out and tell you how she ended up having to break into her cousin’s house in order t have a place to live. Instead, they make you do some of the guess work by showing flashbacks. The general feel that I got from the show was slightly on the teen soap opera side. It felt a little over acted some times and the story line lends itself to appeal to the drama loving teen. I think that the show has a lot of potential, the story location is very interesting (a not so nice neighborhood in LA), but the actors could step it up a bit to make the story seem more realistic. I don’t want this to sound like I hated the two episodes, I actually enjoyed them and I helped myself to a third episode because I needed to know what happened next! The show definitely drew me in, and that’s really the ultimate goal of any series. Comparing another “online only” show to this one, I would say that “Orange is the New Black” caught my attention more. Maybe because it had less of a melodramatic teenage sob story feel, as you can tell, I’m not so into that. I also think “East Los High” will develop more over time and get a better feel possibly when they have more seasons under their belt. Every show needs to find its rhythm and knock out those first few seasons. Like I said, I see potential for sure and their are definitely technical aspects that I admired from this series.
While at first hesitant about how the portrayal of young latinos would be in “East Los High” I was pleasantly surprised by the end of the second episode of how the characters came along. The show starts out displaying two different yet very stereotypical story lines of: the insecure high school latino who is struggling to fit in, and the high school dropout who has succumbed to the streets in order to make a living. Firstly I agree with Sam’s description of how Jessie’s life is head and shoulders above that of her coke dealing dousing. While saying this I am also aware of the fact that Jessie lives under very difficult circumstances as well as she grows up under limited parental guidance in a school that is dangerous to say the least. Without question both plot lines are far from ideal for the characters and I believe that the actresses do an okay job at displaying their inner emotions living in the inner city. Also I agree with the argument that Rachel makes that the show is too much like a teen soap opera and not enough of a reenactment of what really happens with life in a tough city. Though the show does have an interesting plot line and colorful characters, it could be spiced up with some better acting and more footage of life outside of the high schools. The show obviously has the potential to be a hit because the idea for a hit series is there, however I am still skeptical after two episodes of how the writers will progress their characters and add even more complexity to a show that could be a little bit more realistic.
East Los High is a blend of many types of high school drama shows. It takes the stereotypical high school scene: jocks, nerds, dances and gossip, and blends it with external conflict. After watching the first two episodes, it was difficult for me to find something that makes the show stand out. The acting wasn’t particularly great, and the storyline, while it had interesting twists, didn’t particularly grab me. I also was unable to figure out who exactly the show was following, if anyone. It clearly seems like Jessie is the protagonist, however she isn’t in the majority of the scenes. Perhaps the writers intended it that way: to not have a clear main character, and that’s fine. A lot went on in the first two episodes, the show sort of jumped right into it without setting up any background, it made me feel like I was starting a few episodes in and catching up. There’s robberies, teenage sextapes, drugs, and unknown cousins right off the bat. While I found the premise of East Los high to be interesting, it was too confusing and similar for me to feel hooked.
I had never heard of East Los High before being assigned to watch it. For the most part the two episodes irritated me and I have no intention of watching the rest of the season. However, that is mostly just due to my taste in shows. I am just not interested in a light version of a Spanish soap opera. I like the high school setting because it is something I can relate to. The characters also have to deal with realistic situations, such as Jessie’s mom being diagnosed with breast cancer and trying to manage her time. I also liked the side story of Maya, a high school drop out. She is trying to make a living while having to deal with a troubled past. Her side of the story shows the dangers of the streets of East Los Angeles. However, I thought the acting could have been much better. The no name cast was trying too hard and it came off as over the top. It seemed like the goal was to show the rough life of Latino teens in East LA. It is trying to be realistic, but to me it is just like any other teen show. Nothing stood out to me. Jacob is a good character and can be used as a role model due to his kind nature. But it does not seem like he has any flaws, so I can not relate to him. I understand that it was only two episodes and the show does have some potential. If the conflicts start to build up, then it could actually be interesting, even though I do not think I am willing to give it another chance.
I had never heard of East Los High before this assignment. I was unsure of what to expect when I logged on to Hulu to watch the first two episodes. After listening to the music during the opening sequence, the word that popped into my head predicting the tone of the show was “spicy”. The characters and how they are presented with the upbeat music and their attitudes give off the drama filled vibe. The plot portrays two vastly different lifestyles ranging from a drug dealing girl selling cocaine to a “nerdy” girl wanting to date the popular guy, but having to deal with his sassy ex girlfriend first. In complete honesty, I felt as though the different plot lines didn’t flow well together. I was so caught up in the excitement of the Homecoming King dancing with the “nobody” girl and then it turns into an intense scene with drugs and fighting. I think the scenarios do seem a lot like any average teenage show with the typical high school characters and the usual drama revolving around boys and popularity. The relationship developing between Jacob and Jesse did not seem genuine to me at all. Jesse is struggling with the notion that Jacob could be her first “love” and it’s puzzling to me how they suddenly became so close in just the first two episodes. I think the writers should have slowed it down to show the growth of their connection. The fact that they fell so hard for each other so quickly makes the plot cheesy. However, I do like how it portrays the lives of Latino teens living in the inner city. I wish they would have gone with a more original story following that. The lighting of the scenes that take place in Jesse’s home give a realistic and dark view to the neighborhood in which she resides, adding more substance the text. The family issues that Jesse is facing with her mom working long hours and her cousin being a drug dealer are what keeps this show from being ignored and viewed as just any other teenage soap opera. I hope that in future episodes it goes into more depth regarding the Latino community and the family issues at hand. Overall, I agree with Arielle’s comment above about the show being relatable to almost any teen which I’m sure has contributed to the success of the show. I did enjoy the first two episodes and I may catch myself itching to watch a third. As overplayed as the typical high school scenarios are, they still draw me in somehow.
I have never even heard of East Los High. Right off the bat the show has an eerie dark feeling the to show. I honestly had no idea where this was going. This show seems a bit to un-relatable to me and not really my taste. All throughout the first episode the camera used a single shot to follow this robber girl to give off the feeling that we are looking through someone’s eyes implying someone is stalking the main character. I’m sorry, what kind of high school is this? Girls cheating on their boyfriends in the parking lot? People stealing phones out of the purse at a dance? Stalking them to their home? I just can’t see this ever really happening where I came from. The shows does do a good job with creepy music. When the girl is sleeping in her bed and she hears a noise outside and calls out, “mommy?” the background has an almost horror movie like soundtrack. I mean is this a horror movie or a high school tv show? The girl gets out of bed and the camera shot of course plays it off as a cheesy horror movie and gives a single shot down the hall way only letting the viewer see someone else is in the house. SHOCKER, the door is unlocked! She turns around and what do you expect, a hooded figure standing there. From there on the show takes a sudden turn in the tone and feeling. It starts to turn into a soap opera show (queue the dramatic music). I can’t say the shows offends me since I’m not Latino, but I feel like this show really just gives into the stereotypes of a ghetto latino area. The very beginning of the second episode when she is walking down the hall way with her “dream love” the music plays this upbeat silly music. I started to laugh. I’m sure we all found the high school drama mix with ghetto drug deals very entertaining though. I must admit it does make you want to watch the next episode. It’s one of those shows you know you shouldn’t keep watching but you just can’t let it go.
So, what I got from these two episodes is a mix between High School Musical and Breaking Bad. You can’t mix the two it just doesn’t work, I’m sorry. In both situations we have the typical love scenes in high school and the ordinary drug crime life we have seen in any movie. This show is very mediocre and cheesy in both worlds.
Honestly, I just can’t take East Los High seriously due to the over the top, superficial acting. The actors bring no depth to any of the characters, and the writing is just as bad, not to mention highly predictable.
I watched four episodes, hoping to see some kind of character development that wasn’t evident in the first two, and was disappointed to find none. Each character neatly fits into one stereotype: we have Jessie, the shy yet beautiful nerd girl, and Jakob, the sensitive jock who happens to fall in love with her. There’s Soli, the comedic sidekick, Vanessa, the rich mean girl, Maya, the “troubled” one… the list goes on and on. So far, none of the characters are capable of transcending their boring stereotypes, and whether that’s the product of bad acting, bad writing, or a combination of both, is hard to say.
I do appreciate that the show chronicles the lives of mainly Latino teenagers, although I’m not sure whether the portrayal of Maya and Sparky as drug dealers is realistic or detrimental to the portrayal of young Latinos. What does anyone else think?
@Dylan Fox: I have to say I absolutely agree about the acting. It makes the plotline unbelievable and ultimately a much more shallow experience that left me unsatisfied. But I also feel like the screenwriters should have tried to capture a more authentic representation of high school. They absolutely over fantasized it, which makes it a much less relatable story, but it makes sense since the target audience cares less about deep storyline and more about shallow drama. Towards the end of the second episode, I started to see some development in Jessie and Jacob, though the development was more shallow development that most people could notice rather than true development which shows serious change in the character. Though the writers are Spanish and Mexican predominantly, I feel like they are trying too hard to appeal to the Mexican audience for the show, because personally it feels like they are pushing away other demographics in doing so, since it is much less relatable for someone of a different race. But I really did not enjoy the push of stereotypes that the show provides. Though they have the popular guy (Jacob) and the nerdy girl (Jessie), they still use “Latino” culture as a means of suppressing the abilities of the characters because they still have to enforce those stereotypes. What I was left with was an unauthentic, boring and greatly displeasing show that is solely aimed at entertainment value rather than a deeper development of plot and character story.
I had never heard of the show prior to this assignment but once I heard the name I became interested because my uncle coaches football at South East high school. It was ironic to see they filmed a show based upon student life at the high school but I digress. Going into the show I wasn’t sure what to expect but I knew it would be filled with drama. The show portrayed two distinct lifestyles. Jessie was the nerdy school girl who was longing for love from the most popular guy in school. On the other hand, her cousin maya lives a life of selling drugs to survive and is on the run from her father. Maya comes from a very troubling past and is doing whatever she can to survive. I really enjoyed how the show went with a very realistic view of the latino community in Los Angeles. I have friends who live on that side of town and what they’ve told me is pretty similar to what is shown in the first two episodes. However, I do agree with Jesse because the show does remind me a lot of a soap opera and I am not a huge fan of that genre of television. Another problem I had was the way the show depicts high school life. High school is never the way that is portrayed in movies and television. It seems as if high school is like a fantasy land whenever it is shown on screen and thats what makes it harder to relate back to because most people’s experience with high school is completely different. However, I did enjoy the show t because I could semi-relate back to the teenage nature of the program. If the show was not filmed in a high school setting I probably would not have enjoyed it at all. Overall, I would like to continue to watch the show and see how the story unfolds because there was a lot of potential brewing in the first two episodes.
I agree with Javier and Sam about how as an audience member I really could not tell what was going on in episode one. The lighting was very dark for most of it and there were many different camera angles which kept me intrigued. I also enjoyed the mystery in the beginning of not knowing who was getting beaten up. By the end of episode two I had a better sense of who had gotten beaten up and why. Although this show kept me entertained, I was not very happy about how they ended each one. I felt that at the ending point of each episode, the camera just shut off randomly instead of ending the scene. I know the show is supposed to keep its audience in suspense, but in my opinion they did not do a good job of ending the episodes. I definitely had to watch both to have an idea of what would be taking place in the season to come. After watching two episodes, I would definitely want to know what happens in the third.
I have never heard about this show before, but after watching the first few minutes of the first episode, my first reaction was that this movie would most likely touch the aspects of sex, drugs, and stereotypical representations. As a matter of fact, it did touch those aspects in the first two episodes. Throughout the two episodes, it seems as if the show is trying to illustrate two different stories. One story is about Jessie, this high school girl that’s trying to go for Jacob, which is the most popular guy at school and the other is about her cousin Maya, this somewhat lost and confused girl who just can’t run away from the involvement in drugs and having to go through this ‘street life’. As much as this series portrays a very cliché result in which Jacob overcorrects himself in finding a girl who is the total opposite of her ex, the show still has a very edgy side to it. With its very upbeat introduction, it gives the audience the sense of what this show is about and also builds the audiences’ emotion before each episode. The representation of Latino girls of being aggressive, which is seen in Vanessa and Ceci also gives a very exciting feel to the show by showing that aggression. The different camera angles that are used throughout the two episodes also gives a sense of different perspectives for the viewers that are watching the show.
Having never heard anything about this show prior to watching it, I did not really know what to expect. I found myself a bit confused at the beginning, with the dark camera shots following a character whose face I could not see too clearly. Overall I find the storyline to be very fast-paced so far. I didn’t expect our main character, Jessie, to “get the guy” so quickly. I would also like better clarification about her cousin, Maya. We don’t know much about her past so far. The conflicting storylines between Jessie and Maya make this appear as a two-sided show. Is it a light-hearted high school flick or is it a darker drama involving illegal handlings and drugs? Overall both of these just don’t appear to belong in one television show together. It also would be nice if we saw more of Jessie and Maya together because besides their initial meeting, they have not appeared in the same frame together. I am rather interested in this show because of the cliff hanger ending of the second episode, but I’m not sure if my interest will continue for the rest of the show.
I could tell right away that this show was a low budget program with mediocre acting. The set and lighting of many scenes were not as refined as a real movie or serious TV show. I did enjoy the story line because I could somewhat relate to it. Of course, my high school experience was much different than Jessie’s being that I’m from a much different area. Stereotypes are very strong in this show. There are jocks, nerds, dancers (cheerleader-ish), drug dealers, common settings, and much more. Since I am doing this blog a little late (sorry), I must say it makes much more sense that this is more of an informational type of show, geared towards sex education. At some parts (when Jessie and Jacob get together at his house), I had a feeling that the writers were trying to convey the message that sex is a choice between two people in a relationship, not a must. I feel that this is a rather interesting and effective way of getting people interested and connected to learning about sex education and teen pregnancy. A soap opera really connects the audience to the characters and the more connected the audience is, the more likely it is that they will take something useful from the media to apply in real life (like the sex education).