Celebrities
Dear MTV Classic, here are the 10 shows you need to bring back
The golden era of MTV is making a massive comeback. VH1 Classic is being rebranded as MTV Classic starting Aug. 1, giving new life to classic shows like “Beavis and Butthead,” “Pimp My Ride,” “Punk’d” and so many more.
Additionally, MTV Classic will present older seasons of series that include “Real World” and “Road Rules,” as well as “Laguna Beach,” “Daria,” “Run’s House” and so many more. Essentially, if you were an avid MTV fan in the ’90s, chances are MTV Classic is programming with you in mind.
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There are some interesting holes in their plans, though. While the shows announced for MTV Classic so far are among the best offerings from MTV’s past, Zap2it has 10 more shows that definitely deserve a spot somewhere in the lineup.
1. ‘Singled Out’
What’s MTV without “Singled Out,” the show that introduced us to Chris Hardwick, Jenny McCarthy and Carmen Electra? A countless number of college students were hooked up at random and while almost certainly no marriages were born from “Singled Out,” it did give the gift of Chris Hardwick’s hair drapes.
2. ‘The State’
When you think of sketch comedy, “Saturday Night Live” immediately jumps to mind, and possibly even “MADtv.” However, there’s an argument to be made that “The State” is the best sketch series of all time. Aimed at a younder audience than “SNL,” “The State” launched the career of just about everyone on it — including Michael Ian Black, Tom Lennon, Ken Marino and Kerri Kenney-Silver.
3. ‘Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica’
Two pop stars get married and broadcast their relationship on MTV. What could possibly go wrong? As their eventual divorce proves, just about everything. Of course, chances are nobody ever wanted to hear Jessica Simpson talk about “dropping the kids off at the pool,” but this would still be fun to revisit so many years later.
4. ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
There needs to be a place on MTV Classic to celebrate the best hip hop from years past and what better way to do that than with old episodes of “Yo! MTV Raps”? The sheer number of rap videos interviews and live performances contained within the show need a chance to shine.
5. ‘Remote Control’
“Remote Control” was the first non-music show to air on MTV and gave those playing the chance to win $100,000 — which was an insane deal in 1987. With Ken Ober as host and Colin Quinn as announcer, “Remote Control” helped to define the MTV generation — in many cases, people who just wanted to sit on the couch and watch MTV.
6. ‘The Grind’
After riding the couch for “Remote Control,” it’s time to get up and dance. That’s where “The Grind” comes in. A few different hosts came through the dance series, most notable “Real World: New York” cast member Eric Nies. The idea of “The Grind” was simple: They play music and you dance along.
7. The Best of ‘Total Request Live’
With so many hours of “Total Request Live” programming, there’s more than enough that could just be thrown out forever. That doesn’t mean there aren’t moments to cherish, though. The world needs to see things like the incredibly awkward meeting of Eminem and Mark Wahlberg above.
8. ‘Boiling Points’
What would “Candid Camera” on MTV look like? “Boiling Points” was the answer, which sent its merry pranksters in the world to annoy and anger unsuspecting marks in an effort to catch it all on camera. If someone happened to not lose their temper though, they were awarded a cash prize.
9. ‘Headbangers Ball’
“Headbangers Ball” is one of the longest-running shows in MTV history and still exists, though only on the web. Where “Yo! MTV Raps” fed viewers a steady supply of hip hop, “Headbangers Ball” was the heavy metal counterpart.
10. ‘The Osbournes’
Once upon a time, the world knew Ozzy Osbourne as the lead singer of Black Sabbath. That all changed in 2002, when he then became known as a reality TV star, alongside his family — wife Sharon and kids Jack and Kelly. Suddenly the metal god was just a guy bumbling around the house with his kids mocking him for being an old man. It was the beginning of the celebreality wave that gave life to shows like “The Surreal Life” and “Hogan Knows Best.”