Recap: ABC Family’s The Vineyard Series Premiere

Image via The Vineyard / Facebook

While some chose to dedicate their Tuesday night to Beyonce at the TD Garden, others of us absolutely had to watch ABC Family’s premiere episode of The Vineyard. And boy, was it a treat.

Of course, I say that with some intended cynicism. This show is clearly scripted, although we are led to believe otherwise (it’s a “reality show”). It first struck me when cast member Jon ran into another cast member Lou on the ferry over to the Vineyard, although they didn’t know each other in this scene. When Jon muttered “jerk” under his breath, I immediately cringed. Figures that the two end up being island enemies later on in the episode.

We could also go as far as saying that The Vineyard has some very anti-feminist undertones. Cast member Katie asks her coworker, “Wouldn’t you want to make your own money one day and not depend on a guy?” Emily replies, “No. Why would you wanna do that? That seems so stressful.”

It’s also worth noting that of the seven female cast members, seven of them have very thin body types. And all the men could pass as Abercrombie & Fitch models. Take it as it is.

Perhaps the most beautiful part of the show is its authenticity to the island and its summer-ites. Some birds-eye shots of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, familiar lighthouses, and beachy marshes are absolutely breathtaking. The cast is often seen at Ocean Park and The Black Dog (although, those are the only two recognizable places they seem to go). We’ve given a lot of gorgeous coastal shots and views of the ferry. I even recognized some of the female cast members wearing Cape Cod jewelry.

The producers also do an excellent job of glamorizing the Martha’s Vineyard summer lifestyle. It’s hard not to look at these people, all tan and thin, by their bonfires on the beach, without thinking, Well, I guess these folks are doing something right.

The Vineyard airs on ABC Family on Tuesday nights at 10 p.m.