Product Details

• Actors: Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Mark Thompson, James DuMont, Tinkerbell the Dog
• Directors: Alicia Bean, Jeff Savenick, Kasey Barrett, Katherine Brooks, Laura Korkoian
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.1)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• DVD Release Date: December 26, 2006
• Run Time: 216 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000ICLRL6
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,465 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #37 in Movies & TV > DVD > Reality TV
• Learn more about "The Simple Life: Season Four - 'Til Death Do Us Part" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

For being one of the shows that's often thought of as an example of reality TV's origins, there's never been much reality in the overly long-lived series The Simple Life. This two-sided, single disc of the fourth (and last) season has even less to do with reality than any of its preceding installments. Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are still acting their parts of simpleton celebrities thrust into the "real" lives of regular folk, but during the contractually obligated production of what had become an astonishingly popular show, the poor little rich girls were in the midst of a bitter feud. They hated each others' guts, weren't speaking, and thanks to the machinations of their individual publicity experts, the whole world knew it. Consequently, the two rarely share screen time together except for ample sequences of split-screening, which makes for an even more bizarre pairing for two dim-witted million-heiresses who remain famous for nothing more that, well, being famous. Season four consists of a variety of slices of suburban Los Angeles family life with the wife/mother role being taken over on alternate days by either Paris or Nicole. As usual, they sneer and make fun of the lower class that they visit--all the while showing absolutely no class of their own. Their feud is vaguely addressed in the first episode, with the other nine being fairly rote imitations of their earlier-season forays into the humdrum of screaming kids, grocery shopping, preparing food, bill-paying, and every other mundane things the girls have been coached into criticizing and laughing at by the show's producers. We're invited into some parts of the girls' "real" lives with glimpses into their homes amidst their psychological destruction of others'. But as with the prior seasons, the can't-look-away-from-the-train-wreck aspect is the thing that keeps our attention. They hate us and we hate them, so it's the very definition of symbiotic entertainment. Since they also hate each other there's an extra element of amusement; only don't think too hard lest the fine line between amusement and contempt disappears. Who knows if their feud was real or made up by the genius publicity machines behind their fame. One thing that's not made up and definitely not comical is the gruesome change in Nicole Richie's body as her issues with low body weight reveal itself over the course of the episodes. No matter how much Paris despised her, she should have taken her ex-friend to In-N-Out for a few late-night burger binges (without the purging). --Ted Fry

Product Description

America's hottest celebutantes, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, are back, and this time, they're taking over the country one family at a time! With their heated rivalry in high gear, the girls compete fiercely to see who would make a better housewife. Each hilarious episode brings a new family, a new challenge, and a new excuse to party! Never mind the fact that there are diapers to change and houses to clean when there are tequila shots to down and strip clubs to hit! Reality television has never been this wild...Simply put, it's simply outrageous!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Simple Life Huge Supporter October 26, 2006

By Brittany K. Hollerbach

Format:DVD

I am huge fan of SIMPLE LIFE. I will have to say they make idiots of themselves and make you laugh! This season is not as funny since they are not working together. When they work together they feed off of each other humor and stupidity.......Some of the smallest tasks they are given they turn into the biggest things. Then there are others that I would never have thought of adapting to. I will still add SIMPLE LIFE Season 4 to the collection of 1-3. These are things you can watch over and over and laugh as if you have never seen them before!!! Nicole needs her own TV show!!!!!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME ! THESE GIRLS RULE! January 13, 2007

By Rick von Baden Baden

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Paris and Nicole are separate in this season, however the show is great and much FUN. The way it is produced and edited is the success formula of this hillarious and non-stop fun Reality Show! If you liked the previous seasons, you will love this one!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars It Must Be Time To Part, Because I Feel Dead Inside November 7, 2010

By Richard Ross

Format:DVD

With the exception of 'The Simple Life Goes To Camp', I've seen every season of the show, so I feel pretty confident when I say that this was, by far, the worst season out of all of 'em. Not only was it unbearable to watch, but quite insulting as well. Insulting to the families - many of whom were minorities - and insulting to the viewers that E! obviously counted on to watch and buy what they were seeing. It's easily the worst season of anything they've ever broadcast and how it managed to survive for all 10 episodes without getting cancelled is beyond me.

For this season of the show the girls took turns playing housewife to a different family each week. Typical chores included cooking, cleaning, looking after the little ones and keeping an eye on the husbands. But what overshadowed everything was the fact that Paris and Nicole were locked in a nasty feud with each other. Since the two weren't talking, they refused to appear onscreen together. (They do briefly share the screen in the first and last episode, but even then all they do is sling insults at one another and glare at each other with blank, hateful eyes.) To get around this technical difficulty the producers used split-screens to show each girl arriving at the house and greeting the family, before switching back and forth between Paris' week and Nicole's week with the family. There were so many split-screens I felt like I was watching a DePalma movie. Out of the 10 families only 2 really stood out. The first one was about a lush of a husband (who bore a passing resemblance to Ray Winstone) who actually called himself "Captain Tequila". While Nicole was quite eager to pour him shot after shot, Paris wanted to focus on his other hobbies, which included golf. While at the club, Paris begs him to buy her a pink golf bag that cost $3,977. After he does, she promptly ruins it by driving their golf cart into a lake. During Nicole's week, she convinces the husband to make a sexy calendar for his wife. Good ol' Tequila is only too happy to strip down and pose for 12 provocative shots. It's pretty funny actually and easily ranks as the best episode of the season. The second best features a prissy husband with a voice that rivals Richard Simmons. He's an OCD freak who demands an immaculate house and who has no qualms telling people off when they don't live up to his high standards. There's far too much dumb Paris stuff in the episode like her overflowing the washng machine and using a leaf blower to get rid of the excess bubbles or smashing all kinds of breakables in a futile effort to kill a cockroach. She does have one funny moment - in a strictly sadistic way - when she falls off a Segway after getting the bright idea to drive it over a freshly scrubbed floor. The real highlight of the episode comes when Nicole takes the family to a clothing store and gives them all makeovers. She dresses the dad up as a pirate and, given his effeminate mannerisms, it's one of those things you have to see for yourself to truly appreciate how funny it is. These were the only 2 episodes I found enjoyable. The other 8 are too outrageous to get into. The most offensive moment came when Paris, babysitting a Mexican family, took the kids to her mansion without telling their parents. Along with her aunt (who's just as rude), Paris watches as the kids raid her closets and swim in her pool. When the worried parents finally track down their kids and come to pick them up, Paris and her aunt actually laugh in their faces. This is only one of the many instances throughout the season where Paris proves just how vapid, talentless and rude she actually is. For one thing she speaks in her annoying baby voice the ENTIRE time. Also, she seems like she was already rocking the nose candy. There are 2 scenes in particular (one featuring Three 6 Mafia) where she seems under the influence. Maybe Nicole had the right idea ditching her because nobody should have to put up with her despicable behavior just because she's rich and famous. Plus, she has gross hands. Unfortunately, Nicole doesn't look all that great either since this was during her emaciated frame time. Even though she's painfully frail, she proves once again how witty and lightning quick she is. She provides all the laughs this season through an endless supply of one-liners. Being freed from Paris may have been the best thing that ever happened to her since she seems more relaxed and confident enough to reveal more of herself than on any other season. Many of the families agree that she'll make a great mother one day. It speaks volumes for Nicole that she's settled down in a committed relationship and become a mother twice over while Paris is still sleeping around and getting busted for possession in a desperate attempt to remain in the spotlight.

A month ago I wrote a glowing review of Season 3 claiming it showed a different side of Paris. I singled her out instead of complimenting Nicole enough. I wanted to correct that and this season did it for me. Paris reverted back to her old ways and Nicole finally claimed the spotlight she's rightfully deserved this whole time. The only incentive I have to watch Season 5 is to see how the ridiculous cliffhanger ending from this season gets resolved. It doesn't seem worth it. Just stick with the first 3 seasons and divorce yourself from this one entirely. Truly disappointing.