The Unreal World

OK, so I've been watching MTV's "The Real World" religiously since the show first started airing in 1992. Back then it was such a new concept: reality TV, seven strangers picked to live in a house together, etc. Actually the first season they lived in a loft. In New York City.

Back in '92, the seven strangers all seemed to have pretty good heads on their shoulders and all seemed to know what they wanted to do when they grew up. There was Eric, the model; Julie the dancer; Kevin the writer; Becky the singer, Norm the Artist; Heather the rapper; and Andre the rock musician.

OK, so sure,  there were some arguments and racial tensions and hookups and drinking. But mostly it was a show about the youth of the early '90s and where they were headed. The kids seemed to have had their thinking caps on, at the very least.

Fast forward to 2005. "The Real World" has been steadily going downhill, in my opinion, since they garnered huge ratings during the "Hawaii" season and Ruthie's alcohol storyline. The last few seasons, "RW Las Vegas" in particular, have been all about sex and drunkfests. The kids don't talk about their futures-- they just get plastered and sleep with each other. There are no thought provoking storylines, no interesting or colorful characters like Puck or Teck or San Fran's Rachel. There's no pre-med students like Pam, no fencers like Kat, not even a lumberjack like Sean. In fact, in most cases I don't know what any of the kids on today's "Real World" does.

I have faithfully hung in there with "The Real World" all of these years, watching each season all the way through, but I'm afraid even I am giving up this time. I tried to get through the premiere of "The Real World Austin", but the cast was so darn bland and predictable that I just gave up and read my In Style Magazine until "Pimp My Ride" came on.

It's like they've filmed the same show over and over again for the past five seasons. The cast members are interchangable. Too much drinking, too much sex, not enough storyline.

Are the kids of today really that shallow or is it just the producers at Bunim/Murray? I don't know and, sorry, for once I ain't sticking around to find out.