5 Best 'Newlyweds' Moments Ever
When Newlyweds first aired in August of 2003, reality TV was still relatively new. Sure, we had The Real World and The Bachelor, but the concept of showcasing the ordinary life (well, as ordinary as life can be when you’re two famous people) of a newly-married couple was somewhat shocking. Why would anyone agree to this? What could two 20-somethings possibly do at home that would make worthwhile entertainment? Why, seriously why, should anyone care about Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey?
...except they did. They cared. We cared. And so began our love affair with the Newlyweds, both the concept of the show and the two stars behind it.
While we all know that to a certain degree, reality TV shows rely heavily on scripts and producer-castmate interactions, 2003 reality TV was, again, a relatively novel concept. Though there were certainly set-ups, proddings, and I’m sure more than a few scripted lines, Newlyweds felt genuine. It felt real and sweet and — weirdly enough — not voyeuristic. Nick and Jessica became our friends. They became people we felt like we knew. They became people we were truly rooting for.
This connection we felt to both Nick and Jess might be why the American public took it so hard when they announced their separation. They were America’s Sweethearts, Barbie and Ken, a 21st century Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell..and then they were no more. As celebrity marriages (and marriages in general) so often do, they divorced after only three years of marriage. While the two have both since moved on and married and had babies with other people — and seem genuinely happy — those of us who were around in the early 2000s will always think of Nick and Jessica as soulmates. But, hey, they’re happy. And as for us? Well, we’ve got Newlywed reruns.





