What I really want is to kick back, relax, and watch mindless entertainment. Thanks to the resurgence of Y2K fashion this year, I've been yearning to go back to my roots…I’m talking about the kind of trashy reality television that only the early 2000s could manifest.
There's nothing more satisfying and utterly delicious than watching a group of people act like heathens in front of a camera just for the sake of good TV. In the early 2000s, if there was a camera, anyone would do anything to become famous.
They'd say anything, do anything, and manufacture dramatized situations simply for the sake of viewership. And we ate it up. And let’s be frank: they just don’t make them like they used to.
Compared to what we grew up with, the current slate of reality TV is lame. These days, people try their hand at earning fame through Instagram and TikTok. But in the heyday of reality TV, you had to get off your ass and work. Read: be on TV.
There was a plethora of shows to choose from. It wasn’t just The Kardashians and a smattering of overproduced beachside dating shows. There was Say Yes To The Dress, The Hills, My Super Sweet 16, Four Weddings, and more!
And yes, I’m a fan ofLove Island and Love is Blind, but they’re not the same. I miss following a bunch of rabid 20-somethings around who didn’t care how the public perceived them. Most reality TV contestants nowadays use their shows as a stepping stone into the Influencer World — boring. I miss when there were zero stakes.
The cast of Jersey Shore got into multiple fistfights every season. The children on My Super Sweet 16 were openly entitled and outwardly rude. Everyone in every show would say the most outrageous statements that you wouldn’t dare whisper on national television.
These days, it’s all about image. The Kardashians use their Hulu show to give you a look into their lives. But much of this promotes their brands and addresses scandals we've known about for months. And Love Island members were all fighting for a Princess Polly endorsement from day one.
Bring me back to the “anything goes” mentality of the early 2000s. I miss watching out-of-touch heiresses like Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie try out mundane, “poor” tasks like going to a grocery store or working in a restaurant. Take me back to the simpler times of The Simple Life.
My recent aching for this niche genre of reality cinema started when I stumbled across seasons 4 and 6 of My Super Sweet 16 on Hulu and was hooked. Then I turned to old episodes of Jersey Shore. Who knows what mind-numbing show is next?
And while I get my Sweet Sixteen fix on Paramount Plus, I am openly encouraging TLC and MTV to go back to producing raw reality television. I want the cast to not have any hopes or dreams for their careers and put their all into these shows.
There’s never a bad time to recap my favorite moments from the most iconic reality TV shows. So here we go:
Jersey Shore
Can we all just take a moment to remember the time Sam got mad at Ronnie for making fun of her Fred Flintstone big toe pic.twitter.com/5i1OB5PllS
— realitytvshow (@bgcslave) August 20, 2018
When Ron and Sam got into a fight because Ron made fun of Sam’s big toe. Iconic, ridiculous, and just amazing.
The Simple Life
When Paris Hilton doesn’t know what Walmart is and asks if it is the place that sells “wall stuff.” I’d like to see Ryan Murphy write a better line.
My Super Sweet 16
MTV
When Darnell brought RIHANNA to his sweet 16 as his date?! Absurd behavior but if you’ve gotta bring a date…may as well be her.
The Hills
The endless drama between Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag fed my soul…even if most of the show was fake. I don’t care. They sold me.
So, if you’re missing the inane drama from the early 2000s, join me in watching some of the greats on Paramount Plus or Hulu.
- From “Ditzy Girl” to “Girlboss”: Paris Hilton and Toxic Femininity ›
- Megan Thee Stallion and Maxo Kream Take Us Back to the 2000s in "She Live" ›
- MTV reviving Fear Factor with a millennial twist ›
