Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Amazon Instant Video has acquired all of the best MTV shows we spent lazy weekends marathoning back in the day. After the network slowly started to say goodbye to music videos and concert specials, there was an in-between period of some of the most off-the-wall animated and reality shows that changed television content on a much larger scale than could have ever been anticipated. Here are the cream of the crop available to stream; now all we need is to wait for Room Raiders to be made available on digital.
The Real World (1992-present)
The network’s longest running program is slotted for its thirtieth season later this year. In the meanwhile, you can stream the golden oldies of the reality series that defined future reality shows. Reminisce over the first time when a markedly diverse group of late teens and twenty-somethings got drunk and declared their undying love for each other. Stream it here.
Beavis and Butt-Head (1993-1997, 2013)
Thanks to creator Mike Judge, those incessant “heh-heh-heh” giggles will forever be burned in America’s brain. A simple portrait of aimless youth doing everything in their power to get laid, Beavis and Butt-head were the the ultimate townies that brought back head-banging and the endearing term “chicks.” While Judge had success with last year’s comeback season before retiring the duo (for now) to work on Silicon Valley, there’s nothing quite like the totally warped ’90s episodes. Stream it here.
Daria (1997-2002)
Daria was the chick every girl wanted to be. Daria made seem a-OK to hate on the world, especially when you’re dealing with morons like Beavis and Butt-head (if you remember, she made a bunch of appearances on Judge’s show). It’s strange to consider that such a well-developed, independent, and smart female protagonist could come from an MTV series, but Daria will go down in animated history as one of the queens of Gen-Y television. Stream it here.
MTV Cribs (2000-2011)
If you wanted to waste Saturday afternoons marathoning how the other half lives, Cribs was your go-to. There was a point in time where it felt like this show was the only thing aired on MTV ’round the clock, save for early morning music videos. Cribs made you feel like a deer turd on the bottom of the featured guest’s Lamborghini, but your eyes were glued to the set every time those cameras hovered over the helipad in the infinity pool or Russell Simmons’ golden toilet. Stream it here.
Jackass (2000-2002)
America’s tube-sock hero Johnny Knoxville gave us the ultimate “Don’t Try This At Home” series with Jackass, a show that spanned three seasons and three movies, all of equal ridiculousness (no Rob Dyrdek pun intended). Jackass is a true time capsule of reality television because there is no way this premise would be approved of nowadays. Stream it here.
Punk’d (2003-2007, 2012)
What do you get when you mix unnecessary black-and-white cutaways, trucker hats, and the rolodex of a famous person? The greatest prank show ever, naturally. Punk’d lasted nine whole seasons and pissed off plenty of A- and B-list celebrities, but there are a few stand-alone episodes you can probably still recall at the drop of a hat, including the one in which Frankie Muniz’s Porsche was “stolen” from a valet and Justin Timberlake’s house was repossessed. Stream it here.
Laguna Beach: The Real Orange Country (2004-2006)
You couldn’t go anywhere without this show following you. It was on in bars, Kiss FM radio station had hour-long muses about what would happen next, and, of course, all of your friends were talking about it and trying to figure out how kids their age could possibly be that rich. If you were one of the many who tuned in to the rich-kid high school “reality” show, chances are you’re still a loyal fan of Kristen Cavallari and Lauren Conrad, who now dominate Pinterest wedding-themed boards. Stream it here.
Pimp My Ride (2004-2007)
Admit it: you wrote it in soap on the back windshield of your old, beat-up Toyota Celica just in case Xzibit happened to be cruising through your neck of the woods. Although thinking back, there is no way in hell anyone would be caught dead driving a car in the shape of a dragon with LED lights illuminating the tires and with a hot tub in place of a trunk. Really though, can you imagine pulling up to a job interview in one of the cars they pimped? Stream it here.
The Hills (2006-2010)
Gasp! Is that Heidi Montag with a normal, pre-plastic surgery face?! You bet it is. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your story is; like its predecessor Laguna Beach, you couldn’t avoid watching The Hills, even against your own will — it was everywhere. This show was about as ridiculous as it gets, but the “real” drama kept us hooked for six seasons. Stream it here.
Jersey Shore (2009-2012)
Seaside Heights was never the same after MTV and the shore house crew moved in. And neither was America. This show intrigued and offended just about everyone, and needless to say every single cast member became an instant B-list celebrity, particularly after Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi took a punch to the face in a seedy meathead bar. Aside from the yawner of a fourth season set in Florence, this show was pure reality TV gold. Stream it here.
Photos: Courtesy Everett Collection, MTV, and AP
