MTV's Real World Denver: Low Morals and Low Expectations

MTV's 18^th season of their hit reality show, Real World: Denver, played out more like a pornographic reality show than what they producers probably originally had in mind. The worthwhile objective of the show was for cast members to serve as Outward Bound instructors leading teenagers from New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina through outdoor obstacles in the Rocky Mountains. The middle episodes of the season featured the Outward Bound storyline, but even these episodes were sprinkled with sexually charged drama. I guess it is hard to expect much more from an MTV reality series, and the idea of seven strangers living together for three months while drinking like fish was bound to create a few Kodak moments.

Alex and Tyrie were the only guys I could remotely relate to as they were both in to sports and at the surface seemed to be clean cut guys. Tyrie did get drunk in one episode and verbally abuse his girlfriend. The police were called and as the situation was diffusing he decided to urinate on the street. The Denver Police department was not amused, so off to the drunk-tank he went.

Alex, on the other hand, drank frequently and committed a few sexual transgressions with female members of the house. Sexual tension between Alex and Colie began in the first few weeks and culminated with an encounter one night after drinking. Colie spent much of the season in bed, partly because of mono and partly because of her insatiable appetite for guys.

Stephen stayed on the straight and narrow for most of the season, until the last couple episodes were sparks were flying between him and Jenn. Jenn, a former Oakland Raiderette cheerleader, was by far the wildest of the party girls and had several "partners" during the season. Stephen had a girlfriend back home, but came close to messing up that relationship by getting too close to Jenn during the season finale. The entire time I am thinking to myself, "Do you people not realize you are on television?" Eventually your family will be watching these episodes, and so will boyfriends and girlfriends back home.

Even Davis got in on the cheating act by sleeping with a guy he met in Denver. Yes, Davis was homosexual and seemed to be comfortable in his own skin until the season finale when he has what amounts to a break down after cheating on his boyfriend. Davis tells Stephen that he wants to just be straight, that he wants a wife and kids like everyone else. It was a sad moment for Davis, but one that he eventually seems to overcome after working things out with his boyfriend over the phone.

And at last there is Brooke. Brooke is the daughter of two clinical psychologists from Nashville, Tennessee. That's a good thing, because Brooke is a head case herself. She is basically a spoiled brat. You know the type - scared to break a nail, and in need of every-other-day manicures and pedicures. In one episode she even walks several blocks in high heels with a sprained ankle to get a pedicure. Now that's roughing it!

I only casually watched the Real World: Denver season and I am still not sure why. I guess for the same reason people watch train wrecks - to see the carnage. In the end the series was really just an empty reality show about several spoiled, directionless twenty-something's. It would be nice if MTV used this forum to set some uplifting examples for younger generations, their primary demographic. For example, they could follow a group around rehabbing houses with Habitat for Humanity, or have the team participate in field trips with the Boys and Girls Clubs, or Big Brother/Big Sisters. Of course, I don't imagine the ratings would do that well. After all, who wants to watch an inspiring series about people doing some good in the world? How boring.