Think fast: Which Real World was your first? Mine was the San Francisco season, the show's third, with the consciousness-raising storylines of HIV-positive Pedro and the attention-grabbing antics of troublemaker Puck. That season got me hooked on the show, which I followed regularly for the next decade or so, watching as group after group of attractive 20-somethings moved into an immaculately decorated house together to "stop being polite and start getting real."
Tonight, the 20th edition of The Real World premieres on MTV. It's strange to think how different television has become since the series first took the air in 1992. I'm sure there were reality series before The Real World, but the show's influence is unmistakable in so many of today's shows — notably anything that puts strangers in a house together just to watch what happens.
For the longest time, there seemed to be something pure in The Real World — like the people had chosen to do the show more for the experience and less for the exposure. But recent seasons have seemed less honest and more like all the other reality shows the series spawned, with cast members seeming to have great aspirations of Hollywood fame. So it's oddly appropriate that for its 20th season, The Real World is blatantly going Hollywood. Every member of the cast aspires to work in entertainment, whether as an actor, a model, a reporter, or a singer. On the one hand, that could make the made-up drama even more annoying, since it's clear everyone wants to get noticed; on the other hand, at least they're being honest about it.
Will you be checking out this milestone season of The Real World? To watch a preview, just read more.
Rebecca
Dior Homme
Nﾟmph
My first RW was Seattle, with the infamous face slap!! I wish RW would go back to the good old days. The way it is now is just not entertaining at all and seems to just demean everything that RW was in its original form. Why do I want to watch people get drunk and have random sex? No thanks.
1Ok, I feel old I watched the very first NYC season. I think the last cast I watched was New Orleans or Miami, which ever came last. Unfortunately, my interest has faded and will not be watching tonight.
2I think Hawaii was my first season? I really used to LOVE that show, but it has become so vapid in recent years. I wish they would cast real people rather than shallow barbie/ken dolls with empty heads!
3I also watched from the very first NY season. Eric! Heather! Norman! Oh my! My interest faded over the last few seasons, but I want to watch this one. I love sleazy Hollywood. It's one of my favorite places, smog and all.
4That video didn't work. I'll probably watch the first couple episodes, that's what I always do.
5I wish they would replay the early Real Worlds, they ones that were on when I was too young to watch. Instead, they show hours upon hours of America's Next Top Model and Dance Crew reruns lol.
6My first season was seattle, but i used to love when MTV would 'gear up' for the new season of RW by playing marathons of season's past. I LOVED Boston. I'm a bit confused that it's premiering tonight, I watched it on Comcast OnDemand last weekend...
7Donde estan las chicas latinas e negras e asiaticas???? WTF? thsi i so annoying, the generic white girls who sill hate each other, white boys who will think the white girls are crazy and of course the two black boys to "balance it out". I hate MTV it's so white, hello there are other races out there, why not try representing them. I used to like the Real World but it just sickening now.
8I watched the very first one when I was younger and I stopped watching a couple of seasons ago. I finally grew tired of what the whole channel in general has become. I remember reading something about how the London cast was the last one to feature thoughtful and intelligent people, and it's completely true. Now it's just a pointless piece of garbage. And as a Hispanic female, I have to say that MTV doesn't need to represent me since they would do so in a very thoughtless and stupid manner. It would probably be really stereotypical too, which doesn't interest me in any way shape or form. I say please don't represent me, MTV.
9LaLa, you're not the only oldie...my first season watching RW was NY too. I was a freshman in HS & I felt very much like Julie, very naive & unassuming. Wasn't Eric hot hot?? My favorite season was Seattle though, b/c Janet was the first Asian-American that I could identify with (although there was also SF's Pam, but she seemed much older than I at the time)
I've stopped watching this show for many of the reasons others have: the casting has become so cliche (the jock, the hottie, the gay, the artist etc) & the cast members just seem so young & immature. It's hard to watch now that I'm older I suppose, I just can't really relate to partying all night & skipping out on your responsibilities during the day.
Props to Mtv/RW though for keeping the show alive for 20 years!!
10My first was the SanFransico one, although I remember that my mom didn't want me watching it. I already watched the first episode on DirectTV of this one when I was sick earlier this week. It wasn't very good. None of the cast members were very interesting, actaully 2 of them were really annoying, I don't remember thier names. The black guy who "America voted in" is super into himself, and the stripper girl was just too much drama.
11i agree with the post, i think it has lost the "real" part of real world. I dont remember my fist one but I loved Miami. It was drama and such a unique one. i cant watch any of these shows anymore cause they just seem so stupid.
12Pedro ♥
13i watched ny but i fell in love with the show during sf. that was when it was good. yes there was hooking up but it was about life, and jobs and pain and happiness, politics and omg imagine on mtv -- music. i think i watched thru new orleans and have flipped it on now and then since. but now its ALL about hook ups -- and like anyhting that can get boring.
14its sad cuz real world was a pioneer that has become crap.
I think the Las Vegas cast gave all the other seasons a reason to make things that much more salacious and steamy ... I miss it when it was less about gorgeous people and hookups and more about REAL WORLD issues.
15I've been watching since NY. Ah, the joy of smutty reality TV!
16I watched the first season and that has to be my favorite because it was such a new concept.
17I didn't have cable when I was growing up, so the New Orleans cast was the first one I really watched all the way through. I loved that one. I did end up seeing Chicago and Las Vegas, as well. Las Vegas was the worst and turned me off to the series for a looong time. I did watch this past season in Sydney but that's because I was bored, but I don't know if I'll tune in anymore. I've outgrown it.
18I loved the NY season, and I think I stopped watching after the season with Pedro. Is that the same one with Dominick and Aaron, or was that the season afterwards? It's been such a long time since those early 90's!
19I loved the first few seasons. San Francisco is still my favorite. I stopped watching after Seattle or soon after. It sucks now It's all about who can screw who and get completely wasted.
20Either Boston or Seattle were my first - love love loved them - according to some poll i read those were deemed the most boring seasons. I dunno, but they were the most real. I think the last one I watched was Austin. Now it's just a joke. And I think it's a cop out that they are in Holloywood...I'm so over the whole "Young Hollywood" scene. What's so real about that?
21i used to love the real world, my faves were miami, boston, and seattle. i think paris was the last season i stopped watching consistently, although to me it hasn't been any good since new orleans. the show is total joke at this point. anyway i copied the seasons from wikipedia because there have been so many and i was having a hard time remembering which came first..
1 The Real World: New York 1992
222 The Real World: Los Angeles 1993
3 The Real World: San Francisco 1994
4 The Real World: London 1995
5 The Real World: Miami 1996
6 The Real World: Boston 1997
7 The Real World: Seattle 1998
8 The Real World: Hawaii 1999
9 The Real World: New Orleans 2000
10 The Real World: Back to New York 2001
11 The Real World: Chicago 2002
12 The Real World: Las Vegas 2002
13 The Real World: Paris 2003
14 The Real World: San Diego 2004
15 The Real World: Philadelphia 2004
16 The Real World: Austin 2005
17 The Real World: Key West 2006
18 The Real World: Denver 2006
19 The Real World: Sydney 2007
20 The Real World: Hollywood 2008
My first season was Los Angeles...I was still pretty young then (12) and didn't know what the heck was going on, LMAO. My last season was Las Vegas...and I haven't looked back since.
23Is The Real World even relevant anymore? I don't remember ever getting into that show but I think my parents liked it at some point. It just seems pointless to me.
24i can remember watching episodes of miami, boston, and seattle but the new orleans season was the first where i really watched it, every week, and followed all people and their storylines. i can take it or leave it now. i missed the last three or four seasons but followed the sydney season. maybe i'll tune in tonight just to see who the people are.
25i love the real world, its just so outrageous!
26so i am for sure excited for this season, the people in it are really interesting
I remember watching RW NEW YORK but that was through repears I think my actaul first one was RW LA, I stopped watching it after The Real World: Las Vegas 2002. Las Vagas was awful too, everyone had perfect bodies, having orgies...its was too fake. And from what I've heard and seen by accident - its gotten worse.
27I watched from the beginning and stopped at hawaii. It got to be where the "real worlders" knew exactly what would get them camera time, how to guarantee scandal, and they stopped casting real people. Think about the first season, how diverse it was! now its the same faces each season just different names and that is boring, predictable and not at all real.
28i didn't start watching it until a few years in but i've now seen all season...even the one that was a bootleg season that was on DVD (go to Netflix to find it)
last night's special was INTERESTING - i couldn't even identify so many ppl. they all look so different.
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