'The Hills' 10-Year Anniversary Special: Heidi’s Reaction
10 years after the pilot episode aired on MTV, The Hills are alive once more. But this time, that sound ringing through the canyons isn't Lauren Conrad's convertible (though, don't worry; it's a Porsche and it's super cute) or the upbeat sounds of Natasha Bedingfield urging you to feel the rain on your skin. No, instead, that sound you hear is nostalgia — and a lot of it.
The official anniversary special, That Was Then, This Is Now, was told through the lens of Lauren and the producers. They took us behind the scenes, offering insight on how they created so much drama at Les Deux and unearthed some never-before-scene footage from the show. But the rest of the cast members were just as eager to chime in as Lauren was, and Broadly tapped Heidi Pratt (a.k.a. Montag, a.k.a. Lauren's former best friend, a.k.a. the girl who knows what she did) to live-blog the show. Here are 10 highlights from her point of view.
1/10While you have Instagram and Facebook memories, Heidi has a reality TV show to remind her of her formative years.
"Moving into my first apartment in Los Angeles, losing my best friend, meeting the love of my life, Spencer — The Hills captured a pivotal part of my experience growing up," she says.
2/10The girls really weren't friends with Audrina before the show started.
To quote Heidi quoting Lauren, "Audrina was our very pretty neighbor who we met at the pool. Well said!" This might seem way harsh, Tai, but it worked out for all parties involved.
3/10Heidi says that her fights with Lauren "makes me sad, even years later."
"We were so young, but the show could have ended differently," she muses, offering an alternate reality in which our protagonists "could have gone to dinner, agreed to disagree on our issues, and make up. We could have become friends again. It's frustrating how our friendship ended. What would have happened if we remained friends?" TBH, we'd watch another show about this like, ASAP.
4/10But she still thinks Lauren did the right thing in dumping Jason.
And she offered this very wise bit of hindsight: "Rewatching these scenes, I think Lauren mistrusted Spencer because she worried he would do to me what Jason had done to her in season one. Lauren was being an overprotective, but loving, friend."
5/10She wishes Lauren and her husband, William Tell, the best.
"I am so happy for Lauren and her marriage. Everyone deserves love like the relationship I have with Spencer," she added.
6/10She maintains that she had nothing to do with the rumor that started about LC.
"I had nothing to do with Lauren and her choices, and it's unfair that a decade after the show started, everyone still blames the drama on Spencer and me," she says. (Spencer, for his part, has not denied helping "leak" the rumor.)
7/10Heidi would wear Lauren's designs.
"Overall, this special is a great Kohl's commercial," she said. Do we detect a hint of shade? Not so fast, as she followed it up with saying that she wants "to go to Kohl's right now. I'll buy some of Lauren's clothes. They're cute!"
8/10Of the idea that the crew manipulated the drama, she has the following to say:
"They never considered Spencer or my feelings. They always took Lauren's side." Yikes.
9/10But she can still find it in her heart to cheer on her former best friend.
Of Lauren's path, she says that "Charity is very honorable, interning is humbling, and you have great perspective. You're successful because you're a role model. I am very proud of you, Lauren! You go, girl!" BRB, we have to call our besties.
10/10To Heidi, The Hills had one major payoff.
You guessed it: Spencer. "I took the best part of The Hills with me," she says, adding that "When I see clips of him, my heart still skips a beat."
