Whenever I think about this show "Real World", I always think about the locations of the show: Boston, Chicago, Hawaii, Las Vegas, London, LA, Miami, New Orleans, NYC, Paris, San Francisco, Seattle. All of these cities are very exciting cities, but there is a problem here.
All of the mentioned places are regarded as high-profile cities, world class cities, international cities, EXPENSIVE cities. These are the cities which are shown in "bold print" on world maps. These are the cities where "nightlife" is booming. These are the cities where tourists flock for vacations. These are the cities that are shown on television all the time. These are the cities which are fast-paced. These are the cities where the "action" is. These are cities which will never be classified as "boring".
However, there is more to geography, and more to life, than that. If this show is supposed to be called the "Real World", give people just that. What about having the "Real World" take place in these types of places:
¨ Cheyenne, WY ¨ Binghamton, NY ¨ Savannah, GA ¨ Columbia, MO ¨ Dayton, OH
Or, if you want to take the international route, how about these places:
¨ Sussex, England ¨ Nice, France ¨ London, Ontario (as opposed to London, England) ¨ Cork, Ireland ¨ Perth, Australia
The idea here, is that all of these places are not regarded as the "world class" places like NYC or Paris. These places are slower-paced. These places don't have the "nightlife" that Chicago or Hawaii has. Tourists do not flock to these places like they do to San Francisco or Vegas. However, these "other" cities are special in their own way. They give you a look into what life is "really" like, without all the hussle and bussle.
Why has the "Real World" NOT taken place in lesser-profile places? It's on MTV. MTV appeals to Generation X'ers with short attention spans who want excitement and action-packed locales. They will not get action in Little Rock, Arkansas, nor will it keep their attention.
Also, how can early twenty-somethings who are just getting started in life afford to live like royalty in these high-priced places?
Perhaps I'm too critical. Perhaps I'm not. MTV is not exactly intelligent television like PBS or the Discovery Channel. The "Real World" is not going to appeal to people in their 30's and beyond. Even though others have discussed the other putrid aspects of this show, I felt that the location issue should have been addressed.
