Following the style of MTV's "", "The Hills", and "8th & Ocean", "Maui Fever" was shot as a "reality drama" (in the format of a scripted television show). "Maui Fever" cast members never spoke directly to the camera or gave testimonials, a tactic used in MTV's "The Real World" and in traditional documentaries. However, a voice-over narrative spoken by Cheyne Magnusson, one of the main characters, was used at the beginning of each episode to set up the scene and tie together storylines.