Real World: Austin

Marco Polo · 08-09-2005, 08:21 PM

Man, this has to be the most "real" of all the real worlds. Danny's Mom passing away, a girl dating a disabled individual. For MTV, this has been a great show. I even shed a tear. I can't imagine what I'd do without my parents. I think I'm going to call my Mom and Dad after the show and tell them I love them.

SBK · 08-09-2005, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marco Polo

Man, this has to be the most "real" of all the real worlds. Danny's Mom passing away, a girl dating a disabled individual. For MTV, this has been a great show. I even shed a tear. I can't imagine what I'd do without my parents. I think I'm going to call my Mom and Dad after the show and tell them I love them.

Im gonna keep it as real as it's gonna get around here, Im tryin to get my swerve on!

Chiefs Pantalones · 08-09-2005, 08:32 PM

I've missed the last two episodes.

Besides Danny's mom dying, what else has happened?

**Donger** · 08-09-2005, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marco Polo

For MTV, this has been a great show.

Really? Did they actually play some fucking music videos?

NewChief · 08-09-2005, 08:36 PM

For a slightly different take:
http://www.salon.com/ent/tv/review/2...ke/index2.html

Real grief
In contrast, "The Real World: Austin" has left very little to the imagination this season. Between making out naked in the shower and getting his face bashed in on the street, Danny has been at the center of this very explicit drama every step of the way, but last week's episode took the (bad birthday) cake. While the cameras rolled, we witnessed Danny finding out from his dad that his mom had died.
The rest is eerily familiar to those of us who've lived through a similar phone call. First, there's the disbelief: "No! Stop lying, Dad!" Then there's the abject horror and the non-stop tears and the awkward attempts to comfort the bereaved. For a little comic relief, we get the roommates standing around saying really insightful stuff like "When one of your parents die, that's, like, totally different from when your grandparents die." Too true! What we'd really love to see, though, is all the roommates hiding in their rooms (like you know they did) so they don't have to talk to Danny, since his grief makes them uncomfortable and they "don't know what to say." (News flash: "That really, really, really sucks" will always suffice.)
But Danny's roller-coaster ride isn't over! Next, we see the guilt. (Zoom in! Cue sad music!) Just in case you're not sure why Danny's feeling guilty, we flash back to Danny's last conversation with his mom over the phone, just a few days earlier, during which she tells him she's sooo glad he called and that she loves him sooo much, and he grunts incoherently in response, then gets off the phone quickly. "Wow! He really should feel guilty!" the preteens at home agree, not remembering that Danny's estranged mom, who struggled with alcohol, quite possibly let him down countless times until he felt nothing but anger toward her. Let's not explain any of that now, though; let's maximize the drama by cutting back to Danny, who's saying he'll never forgive himself.

Next week's preview shows Danny's girlfriend, crying. He's really sad and he might not come back to live in Austin at all! Is he kidding? What is wrong with that kid?

So, has the world's most popular traumedy, "The Real World," gone too far, once and for all, or is anything that's fascinating to watch totally OK to broadcast? Obviously it's a tough call, since they have all this footage of the kid falling apart, exactly the kind of scenario they're trained to hunger for. But to me, the flashback was what sent this episode over the edge. Bad enough that Danny has to suffer such a major loss while the cameras roll, bad enough that he feels terrible for having nothing but unkind words for his mom on the show thus far, but then they go out of their way to remind everyone what a jerk he was in that final phone call, without making the slightest effort to protect him? If this were a true documentary, they could argue that raw footage was what the show was all about. But anybody who believes that "The Real World" sets out to capture reality -- instead of choreographing cheesy soft-core action -- is too busy practicing the moves on "SYTYCD" to care about Danny, anyway.

If the producers want to traffic in such heartless fare, they should really consider "The Real World: Rikers Island," so we can watch pretty teenagers get knifed in the gut, right before our eyes.

KChiefsQT · 08-09-2005, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marco Polo

Man, this has to be the most "real" of all the real worlds. Danny's Mom passing away, a girl dating a disabled individual. For MTV, this has been a great show. I even shed a tear. I can't imagine what I'd do without my parents. I think I'm going to call my Mom and Dad after the show and tell them I love them.

What did I miss?

HolmeZz · 08-09-2005, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kchiefsqt

What did I miss?

Lacey dates a dude in a wheelchair.

**Donger** · 08-09-2005, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kchiefsqt

What did I miss?

Music videos, apparently.

**Tribal Warfare** · 08-09-2005, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

Really? Did they actually play some fucking music videos?

MTV2 is the place to flip to for music videos, or Fuse if you like Hard Rock.

joesomebody · 08-09-2005, 08:59 PM

I don't like how every other phrase out of that one girls mouth is, "well in the army" it's great she served her country, but come on. I've only watched one episode though...

I guess it adds flavor since no one else on any Real World has really valued disipline, but it seems shes pretty hypocritical to me... again one episode.

Crush · 08-09-2005, 09:26 PM

Thank God for VH1 Classic.

Brock · 08-09-2005, 11:18 PM

This is what happens when you stop being polite and start being real.

HolmeZz · 08-09-2005, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brock

This is what happens when you stop being polite and start being real.

MAD Real.

KCJake · 08-09-2005, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HolmeZz

MAD Real.

That was so damn funny

Hammock Parties · 08-09-2005, 11:44 PM

I loathe every character on these shows. I want to napalm their ****ing house.

08-09-2005, 08:21 PM
Marco Polo Veteran Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 41°59.4′N 87°39.6'W Casino cash: $5828908	Real World: Austin Man, this has to be the most "real" of all the real worlds. Danny's Mom passing away, a girl dating a disabled individual. For MTV, this has been a great show. I even shed a tear. I can't imagine what I'd do without my parents. I think I'm going to call my Mom and Dad after the show and tell them I love them.
Posts: 2,506

08-09-2005, 08:32 PM	#3
Chiefs Pantalones GO CHIEFS!!!!!! Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $7928717	I've missed the last two episodes. Besides Danny's mom dying, what else has happened? __________________ Don't be fooled by my username, I'm white.
Posts: 26,630

08-09-2005, 08:36 PM	#5
NewChief In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Fayetteville, AR Casino cash: $9730204	For a slightly different take: http://www.salon.com/ent/tv/review/2...ke/index2.html Real grief In contrast, "The Real World: Austin" has left very little to the imagination this season. Between making out naked in the shower and getting his face bashed in on the street, Danny has been at the center of this very explicit drama every step of the way, but last week's episode took the (bad birthday) cake. While the cameras rolled, we witnessed Danny finding out from his dad that his mom had died. The rest is eerily familiar to those of us who've lived through a similar phone call. First, there's the disbelief: "No! Stop lying, Dad!" Then there's the abject horror and the non-stop tears and the awkward attempts to comfort the bereaved. For a little comic relief, we get the roommates standing around saying really insightful stuff like "When one of your parents die, that's, like, totally different from when your grandparents die." Too true! What we'd really love to see, though, is all the roommates hiding in their rooms (like you know they did) so they don't have to talk to Danny, since his grief makes them uncomfortable and they "don't know what to say." (News flash: "That really, really, really sucks" will always suffice.) But Danny's roller-coaster ride isn't over! Next, we see the guilt. (Zoom in! Cue sad music!) Just in case you're not sure why Danny's feeling guilty, we flash back to Danny's last conversation with his mom over the phone, just a few days earlier, during which she tells him she's sooo glad he called and that she loves him sooo much, and he grunts incoherently in response, then gets off the phone quickly. "Wow! He really should feel guilty!" the preteens at home agree, not remembering that Danny's estranged mom, who struggled with alcohol, quite possibly let him down countless times until he felt nothing but anger toward her. Let's not explain any of that now, though; let's maximize the drama by cutting back to Danny, who's saying he'll never forgive himself. Next week's preview shows Danny's girlfriend, crying. He's really sad and he might not come back to live in Austin at all! Is he kidding? What is wrong with that kid? So, has the world's most popular traumedy, "The Real World," gone too far, once and for all, or is anything that's fascinating to watch totally OK to broadcast? Obviously it's a tough call, since they have all this footage of the kid falling apart, exactly the kind of scenario they're trained to hunger for. But to me, the flashback was what sent this episode over the edge. Bad enough that Danny has to suffer such a major loss while the cameras roll, bad enough that he feels terrible for having nothing but unkind words for his mom on the show thus far, but then they go out of their way to remind everyone what a jerk he was in that final phone call, without making the slightest effort to protect him? If this were a true documentary, they could argue that raw footage was what the show was all about. But anybody who believes that "The Real World" sets out to capture reality -- instead of choreographing cheesy soft-core action -- is too busy practicing the moves on "SYTYCD" to care about Danny, anyway. If the producers want to traffic in such heartless fare, they should really consider "The Real World: Rikers Island," so we can watch pretty teenagers get knifed in the gut, right before our eyes. __________________ In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican. - H. L. Mencken
Posts: 21,758

08-09-2005, 08:59 PM	#10
joesomebody Waiting to be voted off Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD Casino cash: $9994900	I don't like how every other phrase out of that one girls mouth is, "well in the army" it's great she served her country, but come on. I've only watched one episode though... I guess it adds flavor since no one else on any Real World has really valued disipline, but it seems shes pretty hypocritical to me... again one episode.
Posts: 2,584

08-09-2005, 09:26 PM	#11
Crush Amateur Poster Join Date: Mar 2004 Casino cash: $5287091	Thank God for VH1 Classic.
Posts: 15,297

08-09-2005, 11:18 PM	#12
Brock Say hello to my little friend Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Larryville Casino cash: $9598422	This is what happens when you stop being polite and start being real.
Posts: 47,314

08-09-2005, 11:44 PM	#15
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $4740478	I loathe every character on these shows. I want to napalm their ****ing house. __________________ Chiefs game films
Posts: 277,717