There is a new dating show in Isla Vista and it’s dedicated to helping students score.

A new reality television show “Score!” premiered at a packed I.V. Theater on Friday night. The racy show turns innocent hooking up into pure competition as two opponents hit the streets of I.V. looking for willing partners. In the end, the person who wins is the one who does the most kissing, licking, sucking, biting and, yes, even fornicating.

“I’m trying to develop a sport of hooking up,” executive producer Shaun McHugh said. “We give people points based on what they do and in the end the person who gets more action wins.”

McHugh developed the idea with graduate Nick Asjuan and Russell Dougherty after McHugh participated in other dating shows such as “Blind Date” and “The Fifth Wheel” himself. His experience on these shows gave him some perspective on the college dating scene and eventually led to his concept behind “Score!” He believes a lot of potential exists within a show based solely on a quest to get action – especially in a town like I.V.

A crew of politically incorrect cartoon characters narrate the action and tally up the points. According to McHugh, cartoons provide an advantage because they leave him free to put whatever words he wants in their mouths. One character named Gus shared his view on the “legal” age of 18, claiming “if she’s old enough to pee, she’s old enough for me.”

“They say outrageous comments that normal people couldn’t get away with saying,” McHugh said. “They’re like the characters in ‘South Park,’ and Roger Lodge [of dating show “Blind Date”], for example, couldn’t get away with saying half the stuff they do.”

The point system itself is structured to reward the most daring acts accordingly, beginning with 25 points for getting someone’s phone number. Sex acts such as “swallowing a snake” and “cleaning the carpet” yield 150 points. Further up the scale, in the “extreme” category, are acts such as getting arrested and making out with a homeless person, which each yield 250 points.

Both winning contestants in this pilot episode found sex partners to spend the night with, grabbing them 300 points each.

The event was sponsored by the UCSB Skateboard Club, and also featured local bands 50 Cents Short and Popjunkie. Both bands support the show and said they believe it has potential.

“I think the show makes a pretty accurate depiction of I.V. and what some people are willing to do,” senior communication major Brett Davis of Popjunkie said. “The offensive material is definitely entertaining and funny to watch.”

McHugh also plans to place students from I.V. in a face-off with students from other colleges. The first of these episodes takes place at Cal State Chico and is currently under production. McHugh plans to air all of his episodes on IVTV, debuting sometime this week. He has also talked with producers at Fox, Universal and Warner Brothers, and hopes to one day give his show a national audience.

In the meantime, “Score!” has a website at www.score-tv.net.

Print