Least Essential Reality Shows, Part I
It has come to my attention that the new season of The Real World just started. In Key West. Does this really seem necessary? I don't think this show serves any purpose anymore except to generate cast members for Real World/Road Rules challenges.
In my opinion, the Real World began its long, slow decline in Miami, when they started giving them little jobs to do. This transformed it from an admittedly-artificial show about people who had a reason to be living in a particular city, with outside interests and outside friends, into essentially a fishbowl in which the cast members are expected to drink, fight, and have sex while we watch. Sort of like the intergalactic zoo in Slaughterhouse Five.
But even that concept reached its culmination in Las Vegas. I mean, once you've had a threesome on camera, where do you go from there? Have the seasons since then given us anything new or memorable? Let's see, there was the girl with the eating disorder, the guys who got drunk and got in fights in bars . . . . In other words, no.
When will it end? Maybe when Rachel and Sean's kids are old enough to be cast members.
posted by Bailey Quarters @ 11:03 AM
4 Comments:
You are right about when the show went downhill. First four seasons were great, but the producers realized that some people in the house would actually NOT socialize with their housemates on a constant basis and didn't know what to do. And London was pretty boring. So they got the business enterprise in Miami, then the charity work in Boston, the radio show in Seattle... And they never do a good job. Do you remember when people like Pam, a resident, would try to be on the Real World? Can you imagine someone on a career track that doesn't include "motivational" speeches at colleges and countless challenges going out for one of these shows?
I haven't watched a Real World since Las Vegas. I did watch a portion of Paris, but not the whole thing. Couldn't pick the Philly or Austin kids out of a lineup.
But I still watch the Challenges. How many young women can hook up with Mark? How old is he? He must be 35 at this point, but he continues to hook up with 21 year olds. Ew.
Omg! I love the Rachel and Shawn reference!
I haven't watched regularly in some time (and by some time, I mean since New Orleans), but how can you leave out one of the watershed moments in reality tv? Stephen slapping Irene is the best token crazy black guy moment ever (followed closely by David(?) from New Orleans' scat intro).
There have definitely been high points since Real World:Miami made them have jobs, but the show had already started its descent.
David from New Orleans was definitely a high point. But I would say his best (worst) moment was "Come on be my Baby Tonight." Unbeatable. I would like him and Adam from Real World:Paris to duet on something one day.
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