Since the beginning of the television show, The Real World, audiences have found reason to take issue with the basic premise of the program and the interactions between the participants that take part. Standards and Grudges has offered its two cents about The Real World, joining the ranks of those that feel it brings nothing productive to television programming. For those not in the know, The Real World features a number of people that are brought to live together in a large house to provide an objective look at how the interaction dynamic between people actually evolves. In many cases, this leads to situations with much tension, including physical altercations on some seasons.

The main criticism that most people have with the show is that it is not the real portrayal of actual life that is advertised. Having several cameras present to record the happenings in the house means that the participants are well aware that they are being recorded and their actions may be different depending on how they would like the world to see them. At the same time, many of the people on The Real World have gone forward to have lucrative careers in the television or other industries. Therefore, it is easy to see that a large number of the people sign up to be part of the show knowing that the national exposure could help them achieve greater gains after the season has ended.

Another problem that people find with The Real World is that it seems to have lost the edge it once had. When it was first aired, the program was something new and helped to bring in the wave of reality programming. However, the show is now into its 25th season and the basic premise of the program has lost its luster. This is because viewing audiences are already aware of the format and reality programming no longer gives the excitement that it once did. Instead, many complaints have reduced the show to being just another soap opera, with real people filling the roles of actors and actresses.

In an attempt to keep the high ratings of the program, the producers have started to introduce gimmicks into the program that take away from the supposed “reality” of the show. In a recent series, the participants were forced to work a job together to further increase the tension. These types of gimmicks have slowly gained a larger presence in the show as it has drifted away from its roots.

The Real World has survived primarily because it was the first and best of these types of reality shows. However, the big question is whether it still has a place on television after 25 consecutive seasons. The producers at MTV say yes, arguing that the program still continues to address tough topics and serves as a meeting point for many different slices of American culture. This brings an elevated tolerance as people from different backgrounds learn to live together and find similarities between their cultures.

The argument against this idea is that it has simply gone stale. Viewers are not tuning in to see how people get along, but rather how they don’t get along. The highest rated episodes are the ones that feature fights, sexual activity, or times when the participants drink too much alcohol. If this is true, it means that the American public is looking to see the worst of people and not the best. However bad a reflection has been given by The Real World, each season continues to find good angles where people are able to come together in the cramped living conditions.