The Real World: Brooklyn - Brooklyn Heights

It's the end of one of the most compelling drama's. No, not tongiht's ER finale, which while I admit I stopped watching regularly a while ago, I'm looking forward to saying goodbye and getting nostalgic just thinking about it.

No, I'm talking about last night's season finale for the latest The Real World. Seriously, when did this show get compelling again? I love this show but usually to make fun of people and ogle at the naked hot guys (have you noticed? I do that with every show though) but I don't think I've seen a full season since Hawaii (and even that was only for Colin). Usually I get all excited about a new season and then trail off by the 4th or 5th episode and forget about the show until the new season when the cycle continues.

The Real World: Brooklyn - Atlantic City, Baby!, Saying Goodbye, Reunion - Eps. 2112-2113 + Reunion

But this season, not only did I last the whole season, I want MORE. Though when did they shorten the season to only 13 episodes? Didn't these used to go on forever? I guess without the drinking and partying and slutty adventures, the Brooklynites actually lead more regular boring lives, there was only so much "TV-worthy" stuff they could show.

And yet, I thought they could have shown so much more. Like Baya for one (as they surprisingly mention straight up in the reunion episode)!

The fact that all 8 roommates seemed real, even with stupidities and petty fights, and a LOT of growing up to do, but with actual cores of wanting to succeed and wanting to search themselves out, I thought this was probably the best Real World in over 10 years. Maybe 15. Or at least since this show was actually relevant (yah, apparently that time existed once) in the pop cultural world.

I mean, the last two episodes continues with the news of Ryan's recall to the Army which was already heartbreaking and just continued. To lighten the mood, a Atlantic City trip was had, and the girls fought back one final time with a prank that backfired into a huge fight right at the end, but overall, it was extremely compelling to watch.

The reunion was interesting to watch though because obviously things still have no been resolved and emotions are still high. Between Sarah and the boys and Katelynn and JD not getting along, it still felt like tempers were flaring but probably because they still sort of cared about each other.

It wasn't all happy-go-lucky but at least it wasn't due to drunkenfest or lots of sleeping around. Plus it was nice to hear that Devyn, Baya and Scott were going to continue to room together.

And where did the whole Ryan and Baya thing come from? Did we even get a hint of that since the start of the show? That totally threw me off but it was kinda sweet. Of course, what's scary is that even though we think of them as characters and this was still all filmed back in the fall, Ryan's deployment still doesn't happen until next week. Which means the story still continues. I'd be fascinated to see the next chapter with this group.

And how sweet is Scott? Okay, so he's Republican, but ignoring that, how much do you want to hug the guy (or you know, completely just jump him and tie him down and... oh, did I just say that out loud?). Between lending Katelynn money, and THEN keeping quiet when she spent some of it gambling in Atlantic City, and trying to do something for Ryan and coming up with the journal idea, and being a sweetheart at the reunion, it seems like he's the only person both the girls and the guys all still love after this whole ordeal. And you thought he was just a pretty underwear model.


and you have to admit, that Ryan and Chet weren't as big douchebags as we first would have thought when the show first started. In fact, I kinda like the two. Even Chet. If anything, Sarah's a bit more bothersome but I'll be a grownup and let it go. Because again, when has The Real World actually cast people you didn't want to constantly smack? Who at least attempted to act like adults once in a while and who seemed to actually have real feelings and emotions? And not just PR programmable plastic shells? (Funny since everyone in Brooklyn seems to want a job in the media/arts sector, yet seemed the least fake of many seasons past). Of course, the show will probably return to its drunken state next season in Cancun but now at least we will always have Brooklyn.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com