(OK, fine, there was also the time someone’s angry girlfriend mailed them a pig heart with a nail stuck through it, but the thing is, that was also Neil!) A far cry from other seasons in which the roommates had jobs or visions of fame, the majority of Real World: London characters just kind of … hung out. But while that bit of oral violence may be the most widely remembered moment from the season, it’s also a misleading association for a Real World installment as defined by its serenity as London was. I can always see people actively scanning their memory banks when I bring up Real World: London as one of my very favorite seasons, and it’s never until I continue: “ … it’s the one where that guy Neil gets his tongue bitten off by a guy in the mosh pit during a punk concert?” that they smile with vague recognition. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Overall, that group led to a surprisingly good season so late in Real World’s run, while Tony specifically delivered one of the funniest moments in the show’s history when his skeleton showed up at the house. There was Bruno, the lovable doofus Sylvia, who could explode with the flip of a switch Nicole, the tough tomboy with an absurd accent and, of course, there was Tony, perhaps the worst decision-maker in the history of the Real World/ Challenge universe. It’s no surprise that much of the cast would go on to flourish on The Challenge for years to come. But gimmicks aside, the quality of Skeletons ultimately came down to the core cast, and Skeletons had a great one. Skeletons wasn’t the first Real World season to come with a gimmick-that dishonor goes to Ex-Plosion-but it’s undoubtedly the best, as the show’s seven strangers were intermittently surprised by people with whom they had unresolved issues (family members, exes, former friends). Sydney (Season 19)Īustralia seemed to be an inspired choice to revamp the franchise, but Sydney never hit its stride. Nevinsįor a Time, the Story of Culture Was Told Through ‘The Real World’ Remembering the Bananas Backpack on ‘The Challenge’ 22.
Denver has its tender moments, but everyone would have benefited from taking a breath. There are some epic blowouts in Season 18, including some truly ugly moments, like when Davis uses a racial slur toward Tyrie after the two get into a heated argument. But the secret to a successful season is finding the small, quiet moments to let it breathe a mundane interaction between two roommates on a walk to the store, or during a cigarette break, often produces some of the most meaningful interactions-until the next fight. Conflict is heightened continuously to maximum effect, usually lubricated by copious amounts of alcohol and bad decision-making. The Real World formula can be summed up tidily in one word: extra.
It’s not great.) If it wasn’t clear that the party’s over, LMFAO makes multiple appearances. (A more serious example comes about midway through the season when a cast member with a history of self-mutilation cuts herself and is rebuked by some of her roommates for seeking attention. Two decades of sticking to the same formula gave way to debauchery by numbers, so while Cancun had plenty of big moments-there was a threesome involving two cast members and a guy who threw a fire extinguisher for some reason, and a love triangle that includes only two of the threesome participants-any emotional weight had been scooped out. This is when I gave up on The Real World.
Season 20 is most notable as being the first to feature hour-long episodes previously, the show was aired in 30-minute installments. In 2008, The Hills was at its peak performance, so perhaps there was room for only one MTV show about young, beautiful people following their dreams while keeping it real in the City of Angels. Here are The Ringer’s top 25 seasons in the history of the MTV franchise.Ĭuriously, a season set in the heart of Hollywood was so unmemorable. Strangers are picked to live in a house, where they will stop being polite and start getting real, etc.