Britney & Kevin: Chaotic

For the video release, see Britney & Kevin: Chaotic (video).

Britney & Kevin: Chaotic
Title card
Genre	Reality
Created by	Anthony E. Zuiker
Starring	Britney Spears Kevin Federline Felicia Culotta
Theme music composer	Michelle Bell, Christian Karlsson, Pontus Winnberg, Henrik Johnback
Opening theme	"Chaotic" (performed by Britney Spears)
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	5
Production
Executive producer(s)	Britney Spears Kevin Federline Susan Zirinsky
Producer(s)	Michael Vele
Editor(s)	Michael Vele
Cinematography	Jack McGoldrick
Running time	22 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	UPN
Original run	May 17, 2005 (2005-05-17) – June 14, 2005 (2005-06-14)

Britney & Kevin: Chaotic is an American reality television series, which aired on UPN from May 17, 2005 to June 14, 2005, starring American recording artist Britney Spears and her then husband, Kevin Federline. It was created by Anthony E. Zuiker, while Spears and Federline served as the executive producers. The series largely consists of home videos created by Spears and Federline, along with some added commentary, beginning with their courtship during the European leg of Spears' The Onyx Hotel Tour in Spring 2004, and ending with their marriage on September of the same year.

Britney & Kevin: Chaotic received negative reviews from contemporary critics, who deemed the series as Spears' career suicide, while noticing the singer's excessive narcissism and criticizing the themes of the series as too explicit. The series received a nomination for "Choice TV Show: Reality" at the Teen Choice Awards of 2005. The DVD release of Britney & Kevin: Chaotic was accompanied by Spears' first EP of the same name. A single from it was released, titled "Someday (I Will Understand)". The lyrics of the song refer to a feeling of empowerment as a pregnant woman. The music video for it was released after the final episode of the series.

Background

See also: Britney & Kevin: Chaotic (season 1)

"What's so hot about this couple? Can You Handle Their Truth? UPN takes you inside the private life of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, showing exclusively to you never-before-seen private home videos that were shot by themselves during their courtship, engagement and wedding. This fun, uniquely personal series, shot mostly by Britney and Kevin with their own camera, will give viewers a rare glimpse inside the couple's relationship and life together. The footage begins shortly after Britney and Kevin first met in Los Angeles and headed off to Europe together on tour, leading up to and including their wedding day. So come and enter to the life of Britney and Kevin, but, be aware, this could be chaotic".

— TV.com synopsis of the series^[1]

In April 2005, it was revealed that Spears had made a deal with television network UPN to release her own reality television series. The series would feature footage from the singer and her then husband, Kevin Federline, and would be aired in six episodes.^[2] "From the day that Kevin and I met, there have been constant rumors and inaccurate speculation about our lives together," Spears said in a statement about the series. "I feel that last year, the tabloids ran my life, and I am really excited about showing my fans what really happened, rather than all the stories, which have been misconstrued by journalists in the past. As I mentioned before, I am now going to be expressing my personal life through art".^[2] The series was initially titled Britney & Kevin: Can You Handle Our Truth?,^[3] before being officially announced as Britney & Kevin: Chaotic, with "Can you handle our truth?" being its tagline.^[4] The theme song of the series, "Chaotic", was written Michelle Bell, Christian Karlsson, Pontus Winnberg, and Henrik Johnback, while produced by Bloodshy & Avant.^[5]

Britney & Kevin: Chaotic first aired on May 17, 2005. The first episode, titled "Can You Handle My Truth?", pulled in an audience of 3.5 million viewers,^[3] and featured several discussed themes such as sex and love.^[3] The following episodes featured home videos created by Spears and Federline, along with some added commentary, beginning with their courtship during the European leg of Spears' The Onyx Hotel Tour in Spring 2004, and ending with their marriage that September.^[6] The singer revealed that the series helped the couple to know each other more, saying, "I didn't know [Kevin] that well, and when I got the camera out, it made me feel better. It's really weird because it was like all this tension at first. We were so nervous being together. I'm really shy, and when I had the camera in my hand, it made me feel more outspoken. I think it helped at first."^[6] Only five episodes of Britney & Kevin: Chaotic were aired.^[4] The last episode, titled "Veil of Secrecy", featured the world premiere of the music video for "Someday (I Will Understand)" (2005).^[7]

Critical reception

"Parents need to know that there is plenty of sexual material here, from Britney polling her staff members about their favorite positions, to her talking about how many times she and Kevin had sex in one day. In addition, there is smoking, swearing -- and the theme song is Britney's single "Chaotic."."

— Common Sense Media review of the series.^[8]

Promotional poster for the series

Britney & Kevin: Chaotic received negative reviews from contemporary critics. Taylor Carik of Flak Magazine considered the series an "insult to common sense and decency",^[3] while commenting that "Britney's ridiculous behavior in "Chaotic" confirms the obvious transparency of her status as a "celebrity product" and the calculated nature of her success".^[3] He also noted that music critics would "easily open the floodgates for new and creative ways to discuss her offense to pop culture's attempts at meaningfulness".^[3] Aaron Beierle of DVD Talk reviewed the series as "an absolute disaster of the highest order", while saying, "[Britney & Kevin: Chaotic] is an absolutely watchable and horrifying train wreck of a series".^[9] Slant Magazine writer Ed Gonzalez noted that "the show's extreme shooting style makes it especially hard to stare at what is—no more no less—a totem to the pop singer's narcissism", criticizing the fact of Spears and Federline's "views on sex, life and love suggest someone [...] they're the only person on the face of the earth".^[10]

Josh Wolk of Entertainment Weekly felt that Britney & Kevin: Chaotic was Spears' "career suicide by videocam", commenting, "the truth is not only that she's vapid, but that she's self-obsessed to a dangerous degree". Wolk also noted "many intersecting things wrong on this show and with Britney that I can't possibly prioritize them. I can't say that the sheer narcissism is the main problem, since that may be a byproduct of the overwhelming stupidity showcased here".^[11] Laura Fries of magazine Variety perceived the series as "a visual assault of nauseating camera angles, likely to upset even the most desensitized TV viewer. Note to Spears: Learn how to use a camcorder before basing a show on its usage".^[12] Hayley Butler of Jam! gave the final episode of the series a mixed review, saying it "was full of tear-jerking moments" and "the only episode not full of stupid jokes, childish behaviour and Britney's thoughts on life", commenting that Spears and Federline wedding scenes "looked to be a very emotional and touching event". Butler also wondered "if they feel their show served its purpose. They annoyed us, made us cringe, gave us their insights on life and love and finally, annoyed us some more. However, if the whole point of the show was to prove their love is the real deal, well I have to say, Britney & Kevin: Mission Accomplished".^[13]

Awards

Britney & Kevin: Chaotic received a nomination for "Choice TV Show: Reality" at the Teen Choice Awards of 2005,^[4] while Spears was nominated for "Choice TV Personality: Female", and Federline for "Choice TV Reality/Variety Star: Male".^[4] However, reality television series American Idol, American singer Bo Bice, and American recording artist Jessica Simpson won the awards, respectively.^[4]

References

1. ^ "Britney and Kevin: Chaotic". TV.com. CNET Networks, Inc. 2005-05-17. http://www.tv.com/shows/britney-and-kevin-chaotic/. Retrieved 2011-09-11. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Harris, Chris (2005-04-05). "Britney Spears' Reality Show Is 'A Documentation Of Love'". http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1499573/britney-kevin-new-newlyweds.jhtml. Retrieved 2011-09-11. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Carik, Taylor (2005-05-26). ""Britney & Kevin: Chaotic"". Flak Magazine. J. R. Norton. http://www.flakmag.com/tv/britneytv.html. Retrieved 2011-09-11. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Britney & Kevin: Chaotic (TV Series 2005)". Internet Movie Database. Staples, Inc. 2005-05-17. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460628/. Retrieved 2011-09-11. 
5. ^ Britney & Kevin: Chaotic liner notes. Jive Records (2005)
6. ^ ^{a b} Jennifer Vineyard (May 13, 2005). "Reality-TV Britney Asks Fans: Can You Handle The Truth?". http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1501849/20050513/spears_britney.jhtml. Retrieved December 21, 2010. 
7. ^ Staff, Associated Press (2005-06-12). "Britney to debut music video on ‘Chaotic’ finale". msnbc.com. NBC Universal / Microsoft. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8193036/. Retrieved 2010-03-05. 
8. ^ "Britney and Kevin: Chaotic - Television Review". Common Sense Media. 2005-05-17. http://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/britney-and-kevin-chaotic. Retrieved 2011-09-11. 
9. ^ Beierle, Aaron (2005-10-07). "Britney and Kevin: Chaotic (CD+DVD)". DVD Talk. Internet Brands. http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/18078/britney-and-kevin-chaotic-cd-dvd/. Retrieved 2011-09-11. 
10. ^ Gonzalez, Ed (2005-05-18). "Britney and Kevin: Chaotic". Slant Magazine. http://www.slantmagazine.com/tv/review/britney-and-kevin-chaotic/1. Retrieved 2011-09-11. 
11. ^ Wolk, Josh (2005-05-18). "Shooting Her Own Foot". Entertainment Weekly. Time Warner. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1062735,00.html. Retrieved 2011-09-11. 
12. ^ "Britney and Kevin: Chaotic". Variety. Reed Business Information. 2005-05-18. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117927180. Retrieved 2011-09-11. 
13. ^ Butler, Hayley (2005-06-14). "Britney's 'Chaotic' series wraps up". Jam!. http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/TV_Shows/B/Britney_And_Kevin_Chaotic/2005/06/16/1091361-ca.html. Retrieved 2011-09-11. 

External links

• Britney & Kevin: Chaotic at the Internet Movie Database
• Britney & Kevin: Chaotic at TV.com