The Real World: Brooklyn - Strangely A Bit Too Real This Time

The Real World: Brooklyn - Dilators, Dresses and Bow Ties, Pole Dancing and Pedro, Saving a Private Ryan - Eps. 2109-2111

Is it just me or am I getting soft? Or shall I say, softer? I mean, I always give way more benefit than the doubt should allow but I figure, hey, these people that sign up for The Real World, well, they've got to be a little sick in the head already, so I've let stupidities go a lot on this show.

But while the kids in Brooklyn are still really just kids, I'm really addicted to this batch. I mean, considering Chet is probably the biggest twat of the group, and he's still not that bad overall, it's a pretty good season.

It's been actually interesting to watch this group slowly discover themselves in the big city and learn to grow up. I mean, they're still childish in their antics, from the fights about cleaning the house (hilarious that it's the guys that are the clean freaks), to the numerous pranks, but ultimately, it's been kind of refreshing to watch them realize that the real world is HARD and that life doesn't go as planned.

From Baya's delusion as a dancer slowly slipping away, to Devyn getting a job at a fashion house (oh wait, she IS getting what she wants, thanks to her new boobs, though she definitely seems surprisingly sensible and reasonable about it all), to Katelynn finding a job as a cage dancer because she's completely broke.

And who didn't love Scott when after all their bickering (kinda like brother and sister), offers Katelynn a loan to stay in New York? (Wait, and how much money does the guy have? I guess his modeling jobs ARE paying well!)

Of course, then we find out that Scott is a republican and all that love is lost again, but hey, everybody's gotta have some fault. (Was it any surprise Chet was the other republican in the house?). Loved seeing Obama's election night win all over again through the eyes of the Real Worlders (though where did Baya and Devyn go?)

But reality all came crashing down when Ryan got the call last week to return to the army, it was heartbreaking and a little scary to watch.

Seriously, how intense was that?

And to know that he ships out for real on April 15th is actually a terrifying thought. These aren't just characters on a TV show. Ryan Conklin really has to go back to Iraq for real. And he might not make it back. God forbid.

Despite all the silly boyish pranks, and his way-too-first-timer-serious-personal-film for the film project, I've been kinda loving Ryan, who seems to be turning out to be a better guy than JD (who still kinda seems like an ass when he's drunk in a Jeckyl and Hyde way).

Apparently, Ryan is already currently back in the army doing re-training in preparation for his next tour of Iraq. He can't even bask in the glow of reality TV stardom or join the next batch of sadsacks on the RW vs RR challenges to milk his 15 minutes of fame.

Though I'm curious to see the reaction this week from the rest of the house on Ryan's news. I know it'll dampen the rest of his stay but while it's very different than Pedro Zamora's blast of reality into the house (which they relive with the premiere of the new biopic film), it seems like the first time The Real World has actually been real since San Francisco.

I mean, just watching Katelynn come into her own womanhood post-op (when not being hounded by the curious Chet) and playing dress up with Devyn (which was actually sweet), this group of squabbling roommates actually seem human.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com