TV Review: Kendra

published: 2009-06-04 17:14:39

Kendra Wilkinson’s got a new home and a new fiancée so it seems fitting that the Playboy Playmate should also have a new reality show. E!’s Kendra follows Wilkinson as she goes about getting settled in her new home, dealing without the luxuries she’d grown accustomed to at the Playboy mansion and prepares for her wedding.

The premiere episode begins with Kendra attempting to help her fiancée, Eagles wide receiver Hank Baskett set up the new TV. This semi-simple task proves to be more of a challenge for both of them largely because once they get the thing set up, Kendra can’t remember whether or not she had the cable turned on. I’m thinking this is a lot of what we should expect as this new series progresses. Little things turning into big ordeals due to Kendra’s cluelessness. In a Simple Life sort of way, the adorable blonde will attempt to live a normal (relatively speaking) life outside the Playboy mansion. The premiere also includes Kendra and her friends’ attempts to prepare for the wedding. Much like getting a TV set up, Kendra admits she has no idea how to plan a wedding but she’s enthusiastic about the adventure and eager to get going on it. From picking out the cake to trying on dresses and of course, setting the venue, we should be getting more than an eyeful of Kendra’s attempts to put together her dream wedding. The third act involves Kendra visiting Heff’s mansion to introduce Baskett to her old boyfriend, if you can classify Hugh Hefner as once having the status of “boyfriend.” How does Heff react to Kendra and Baskett’s visit? Well, I won’t spoil that for you but the whole thing makes for an interesting segment and I thought it was a nice way of acknowledging that Kendra is more of a spin-off than it is a new show. (The Girls Next Door returns to E! with new episodes this fall, by the way).

One of the things that makes Kendra a great “reality show star” is her willingness to just be herself. She seems comfortable enough with who she is not to put on an act for the cameras. Some might question whether or not Kendra will be able to carry a reality show without the other Girls at her side but based on the premiere episode, I think fans of The Girls Next Door and particularly Kendra will appreciate this new series.