Reality TV - Remember the first Real World season?

Reality TV is just as everywhere today as low carb menu options. You can find reality TV on every channel - even the country music channel. I remember years ago it seemed like all I'd ever see on that channel was a show set in a big country bar where couples would dance together, following each other around in a big circle. Just the other day I saw that even that channel has a reality show.

Do you remember when it all began for you? Your reality TV adventure, that is. For me it was the first season of The Real World on MTV. It will always be my favorite season. I think the magic it had was that everyone in that New York loft was working on their career and trying to make their dreams a reality. There was an artist, a poet, a few musicians, a dancer, and a model.

It was an artistic bunch of young people who had fun together, built relationships, argued (what would reality TV be without that? :) ), and they CREATED.

Back then everyone who saw it would say "How can that be REALITY? They are just starting out in their careers, yet they get to live in a BIG, AWESOME loft right in NYC? FOR FREE!!!"

Okay, so it wasn't our own reality, but it was like watching the reality of what it would be like for a creative bunch to get to live rent free in a NYC dream loft for a few months.

By today's "Real World" standards, the NYC loft in season 1 was very humble and very plain. I actually miss that. Why? Because it gave the people who lived there the opportunity to sort of make the place their own. The artist (Norm) put his art all over the walls. Some of them even created art on the walls together. Their bedrooms had their own stuff scattered around, which was easier to see because it wasn't hidden by all the bright pieces that are already part of the interior design of today's seasons of the Real World.

Also, back then we got to see them all in their own environments doing what they do best. We got to see Kevin perform spoken word at a club, Andre practice with his band in the basement of the house his band rented, Heather work on her rap in the studio, Julie take a dance class in New York (which must have been very different from her classes in Alabama), etc.

They were inspired and they inspired each other.

Nowadays, they get assigned a job that they all have to do, which means some will love it and some will hate it, but for the most part they won't be that into it because it's not their own passion.

In the first season, they were pursuing their own dreams.

These days the show is mostly about who is pursuing whom. And why the relationship won't work out. And who will kiss her and him in the hot tub.

The show should really just be called "We Hate Our Job - Let's Get in the Hot Tub!"

I'm not saying that the show doesn't have any creative people on it anymore. There have definitely been some creative and inspiring people since then. But, the bully usually gets more air time. So does the hot tub.

This season is in Austin. I was sure I wasn't going to watch until I heard it would be in Austin. I love Austin. A city as creative and inspiring as Austin... this season has GOT TO be about more than arguments and who kisses whom in the hot tub, right? Hmmmmm we'll see. 

This post is from the Retropolis archives and was originally posted July 4, 2005.