# The Hard Times of RJ Berger (2010)

> A socially awkward high school sophomore in Ohio navigates crushes, bullies, and friendships while coping with an embarrassing secret.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/30315

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 24
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: comedy
- Created by: David Katzenberg, Seth Grahame-Smith
- Network: MTV
- Cast: Paul Iacono, Jareb Dauplaise, Kara Taitz, Amber Lancaster, Jayson Blair, Beth Littleford, Larry Poindexter, Ciena Rae
- TMDB rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1451387/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: cringe, bawdy, nostalgic, irreverent, warm

## Synopsis

The Hard Times of RJ Berger (2010-2011) is an American teen comedy series created by David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith for MTV. Paul Iacono plays RJ Berger, an unpopular sophomore at Pinkerton High School in suburban Ohio whose oversized anatomy becomes a constant source of humiliation and whispered rumor. His best friends are Miles Jenner, played by Jareb Dauplaise, whose hunger for popularity keeps pulling him away from RJ, and goth girl Lily Miran, played by Kara Taitz, who has long pined for him. Jenny Swanson, played by Amber Lancaster, is the cheerleader RJ wants, though she is tangled up with the bully Max Owens, played by Jayson Blair. Across two seasons of half-hour episodes, the engine of the show is simple: RJ tries to win a girl, keep his friends, and survive another day of hallway cruelty, and each week brings a fresh embarrassment. The show is a coming of age story with a nostalgic narrating voice, presented as a blend of The Wonder Years and Superbad. It has a bawdy, cringe-driven tone that mixes raunchy jokes with a warm affection for its awkward characters. Fans of The Wonder Years, Superbad and Freaks and Geeks will find resonance in its mix of adolescent humiliation and loyal friendship. The series ran for 24 episodes before MTV canceled it.

## Shows like The Hard Times of RJ Berger

- [PEN15 (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/72797)
- [Atypical (2017)](https://ember.film/tv/62496)
- [Faking It (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/54169)
- [As Told by Ginger (2000)](https://ember.film/tv/1658)
- [Awkward. (2011)](https://ember.film/tv/36566)
- [10 Things I Hate About You (2009)](https://ember.film/tv/16231)
- [Mortified (2006)](https://ember.film/tv/4989)
- [Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? (2002)](https://ember.film/tv/1687)
- [Clarissa Explains It All (1991)](https://ember.film/tv/231)
- [The Inbetweeners (2008)](https://ember.film/tv/6814)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt