Faking It (American TV series)


Faking It is an American romantic comedy television series that premiered on MTV on April 22, 2014, starring Rita Volk, Katie Stevens, Gregg Sulkin, Michael Willett and Bailey De Young. The series was created by Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov. Carter Covington developed the series and serves as the executive producer. An eight-episode first season was ordered by MTV in October 2013. MTV announced a 10-episode second season set to premiere on September 23, 2014. In August 2014, the show won a Teen Choice Award for "Choice TV Breakout Show". In October 2014, MTV ordered 10 more episodes, meaning season two would have a total of 20 episodes. The series features the first intersex main character on a television show, and included television's first intersex character played by an intersex actor.
In April 2015, it was announced that the second half of season two would air from August 31, 2015, as well as being renewed for a third season which premiered on March 15, 2016. In May 2016, MTV announced that Faking It had been cancelled after three seasons.

Plot

At Hester High School in the suburbs of Austin, being different is popular. After many failed attempts to stand out, Karma Ashcroft and her best friend Amy Raudenfeld are invited to a house party hosted by popular gay student Shane Harvey, who is under the impression that the girls are a lesbian couple.
At the party they are subsequently outed as the school's first lesbian couple and unwillingly nominated for homecoming Queens. Continuing the charade as their popularity soars, Karma attracts the attention of the popular and handsome Liam Booker, while Amy becomes aware of her growing romantic feelings for Karma and a rivalry with her new step-sister, Lauren, who discovers that they are faking it.

Episodes

Cast

Main cast

Introduced in season 1

Faking It premiered on April 22, 2014, and ran for eight episodes. On June 9, 2014, the series was picked up for a second season of ten episodes, which premiered on September 23, 2014. This was later expanded to a twenty episode season on October 21, 2014.

Reception

Critical response

Faking It received generally favorable reviews from critics, receiving a 71 score on Metacritic, as well as a 71% for season 1 on Rotten Tomatoes based on seven reviews.
CinemaBlend.com said, "About as relevant to the gay lifestyle as Modern Family, Faking It shoots for the stars, but only hits a bunch of brightly colored rainbows on "Vote for Me" posters."
The New York Times wrote, "Faking It isn't anything more than a smarter-than-average high school comedy, but there's a freshness to it, perhaps because so many of the key people involved are relative newcomers."
New York Daily News said, "The engine driving this show is female friendship, the kind strong enough to get you through even high school. For Amy and Karma, we want that."
TV Fanatic said, "It could be an interesting twist for Amy to stop pretending to be gay and suddenly be pretending to be straight."
Common Sense Media said, "The coming-of-age-and-coming-out story is certainly a time-honored one in the LGBT cinematic canon, and having both girls playing gay-for-social-cachet is an interesting farcial spin."
Hollywood.com said, "Anyone following MTV's Awkward will be sure to love the new series, but even non-fans won't fake their enjoyment of the new show."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said, "While the show's premise seems like it could be difficult to maintain, Faking It holds up in two early episodes sent for review."
Boston Globe said, "Faking It is an odd, interesting, lightly subversive, and potentially offensive concoction from MTV. It's a twisted comedy that has charm, but also a premise that could be insulting if not handled intelligently."
Boston Herald said, "There's something hilarious and twisted about outcasts and untouchables running a school while making some of the same mistakes their 'normal' peers made. Faking It is the real deal." Entertainment Weekly said, "Credit the winning cast, especially Volk, and executive producer Carter Covington's sweet/snarky tone for a half hour viewers won't have to pretend to love."
In an average review to the show, Philadelphia Daily News said "For Stevens' character, Karma, kissing her best friend, Amy, is a way --admittedly not the most direct way--of getting closer to Liam, a cute guy with commitment issues. For Amy, though, it's more complicated, and that's where Faking It begins to seem less like a joke, as the shift in a relationship stirs up feelings that move her into the "questioning" column of LGBTQ."

Awards

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResultRef
2014AfterEllen Visibility AwardsEditor's Pick for Favorite TweeterYvette Monreal
2014AfterEllen Visibility AwardsFavorite Fictional Lesbian CoupleRita Volk / Yvette Monreal
2014AfterEllen Visibility AwardsFavorite Lesbian/Bi CharacterRita Volk
2014AfterEllen Visibility AwardsFavorite TV ActressRita Volk
2014AfterEllen Visibility AwardsFavorite TV ComedyFaking It
2014Teen Choice AwardsBreakout ShowFaking It
2015GLAAD Media AwardsOutstanding Comedy SeriesFaking It
2015People's Choice AwardsFavorite Cable TV ComedyFaking It
2015Teen Choice AwardsChoice Summer TV ShowFaking It
2015Teen Choice AwardsChoice Summer TV Star: MaleGregg Sulkin
2016AfterEllen March Madness 2016Best Actress in a Queer RoleRita Volk
2016The Girl Crowd — LGBT+Favorite LGBT ShipKarmy
2016GLAAD Media AwardsOutstanding Comedy SeriesFaking It
2016People's Choice AwardsFavorite Cable TV ComedyFaking It