History Series / TheHardTimesOfRJBerger

''The Hard Times of RJ Berger'' is a sitcom created by David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith for Creator/{{MTV}} that ran for two seasons from June 6, 2010 to May 30, 2011 before being cancelled in August 2011. The show originated from a short film that one creator directed and the other produced; the two summarized the short as an {{homage}} to ''Film/BoogieNights'', and later summarized the series as [[JustForFun/XMeetsY a cross between]] ''Series/TheWonderYears'' and ''Film/{{Superbad}}''.

RJ Berger is an unpopular, nerdy, socially awkward high school sophomore. He's horrible at sports, even worse at talking to girls, his parents are embarrassing, and he's got more pairs of glasses than friends -- but he has a big secret. A ''very'' big secret.

The show's plot gets set in motion when an unfortunate series of events leads to RJ being exposed in front of his entire high school. However, RJ gets a sudden boost in popularity, and the show follows him and his two best friends, [[BromanticFoil Miles Jenner]] and [[AbhorrentAdmirer Lily Miran]], as he deals with the changes and tries to use the fame to his advantage.

Meet RJ Berger. He has a [[GagPenis big schlong]]. Goodnight everybody!

...

Oh, you want more info? Alright then. RJ Berger is your typical nerd. Nature made him scrawny and weird looking, awkward and pale. He's horrible at sports, and even worse at talking to girls. His parents are embarrassing, and he's got more pairs of glasses than friends. Except for one thing: His sexual organ is huge. HilarityEnsues.

The first season follows RJ and his friends [[BromanticFoil Miles Jenner]] and [[AbhorrentAdmirer Lily Miran]] living high school while dealing with people like [[JerkJock Max Owens]]. It's been stated many times that RJ is going to try and use his "gift" to change his lifestyle, but really, all he seems to want is a chance with [[LoveInterest Jenny Swanson]].

The second season continues on, with RJ and Jenny as an OfficialCouple, trying to make the relationship work despite several hindrances. All the while RJ is trying to deal with his parents' divorce, his mom dating his coach, and the new hot tutor he's been given that's starting to drive a wedge between him and Jenny.

The third season would've followed RJ dealing with [[spoiler:Lily's pregnancy]] and Max keeping his own little secret under wraps. But, as confirmed by the creator via Twitter, the series was canceled.

!!This Live Action TV Show provides examples of:

%%* SchoolPlay: [[Literature/{{Twilight}} Vamp]] [[Theatre/WestSideStory Side Story]]

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Lily.
* AlphaBitch: Averted with Jenny. [[RichBitch Robin]] plays this straight.
** Lily plays this straight for a while when she gets her settlement, although by the end of the episode she averts it.

* {{Animesque}}: So far, most of the art found in the series is like this.
* ArmoredClosetGay: [[spoiler: Max, as of the Season 2 finale.]]

* BeautyIsBad
* BettyAndVeronica: Jenny (Archie) between RJ (Betty) and Max (Veronica). RJ (Archie) between Lily (Betty) and Jenny (Veronica) is a rare example of the Veronica being much more likeable than the Betty.
** A better example of a Betty is Clair, who RJ shows some interest in and who is also much better pick than Lily.
** Now, we have Amy as Betty and Jenny as Veronica.

* BromanticFoil: Miles to RJ.

* CaughtWithYourPantsDown: The result of the opening scene.
* CursedWithAwesome: RJ considers his penis to be this at first.
* ADateWithRosiePalms: It's the opening scene. See CaughtWithYourPantsDown.
* DeathBySex: [[spoiler:Possibly Lily in the season finale.]]
** [[spoiler: Averted in the Season 2 Premiere.]]
* DoubleEntendre: The dinner RJ has with his parents and their friends in the pilot is filled with this.

* GagPenis: Pretty much the point of the entire show.
* GangBangers: Hamilton and his gang

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.
* GratuitousJapanese: Sprinkled around the pilot episode.

* JerkJock: Max, though it's more PlayedForLaughs than played straight.
* MsFanservice: Jenny. Amy.
* MushroomSamba: The Lock-In
* MarijuanaIsLSD: See above - The Biscotti was laced with "Acapulco Gold".

** Amy. Just Amy.
* SarcasmBlind: Miles, to tragic effect.
* SchoolPlay: [[Literature/{{Twilight}} Vamp]] [[Theatre/WestSideStory Side Story]]

* SlapSlapKiss: [[spoiler:Miles and Lily]], although it was because both of them were drunk.
* StraightGay: [[spoiler: Max.]] Also counts as FlyingUnderTheGaydar.

* TemptingFate: "At least he's still got his jockstrap o--" [[HilarityEnsues In comes the plot]].

* YankTheDogsChain: Happens to RJ (and to a lesser extent, Miles) pretty frequently, and he lampshades this.

* TheCheerleader: Jenny, though just in that she [[PomPomGirl works up crowds with dancing, chanting and the waving of pom poms]]. As for the nasty "cheerleader" character type, there is Robin Pretnar.

Oh, you want more info? Alright then. RJ Berger is your typical HollywoodNerd. Nature made him scrawny and weird looking, awkward and pale. He's horrible at sports, and even worse at talking to girls. His parents are embarrassing, and he's got more pairs of glasses than friends. Except for one thing: His sexual organ is huge. HilarityEnsues.

* HollywoodNerd: You'd ''think'' this would be the case in a show like this, but RJ, Miles, and Lily all come across as very realistic nerds and they're far from HollywoodHomely too.
** Amy, who is perfectly attractive.
** This is awkwardly brought into light in an episode where Jenny has a particularly nasty breakout. RJ and Miles attempt to tell her that acne isn't a huge problem, since they all have "horrible" acne, and [[AlphaBitch Robin]] and [[JerkJock Miles]] both tell her that RJ must be "rubbing off on her." But because of this trope and Hollywood makeup, neither RJ or Miles have a single pimple.
** Ironically, by the end of the second season, [[TheCheerleader Jenny]] is [[spoiler: the only virgin in the group.]]

** [[{{Meganekko}} Amy]], who is perfectly attractive.

* BiggusDickus / GagPenis: Pretty much the point of the entire show.
* BilingualBonus: Most likely unintentional. Just try learning Spanish, and see a show where the main character has a BiggusDickus and it's called ''Berger''.

* FreudianSlip: "I'd love to study you. Study ''with'' you."

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: It's MTV, so the radar is screening a lot less, but all the same, seems like whoever approved Amy's comment that "I haven't had this much fun since I found out what the shocker was" probably didn't actually know what the shocker is.