"The Hills" received moderately favorable reviews from critics, and has been recognized as a "guilty pleasure" by several media outlets. However, the series was often criticized for tending towards a narrative format more commonly seen in scripted genres including soap operas, and appearing to fabricate much of its storyline. The show has produced several spin-offs, as well as distributed all seasons to DVD. Since its conclusion, the special "The Hills: That Was Then, This Is Now" starring Conrad was aired on August 2, 2016, and the sequel series "" premiered on June 24, 2019.