If you were a kid growing up in the 2000s, life was good for so many reasons. There was awesome food like smiley fries and Dunkaroos, cool toys like Bop-Its and Tamagotchi, and awesome shows to occupy your time when you got home from school or in the mornings on the weekends. From Cartoon Network to Nickelodeon, animated shows were some of the best of the 2000s- but there were some gems on other Networks too, namely MTV!
When the first music video aired on MTV in 1981, no one could imagine what the network would turn into or the influence it would have in the world of television for years to come. MTV originally started off as strictly what the name stood for: music television. As time progressed though, producers and executives saw opportunities for programs that appealed to younger audiences that were tuned into the network. The reality shows MTV produced in the 2000s were some of the greatest on TV at the time and definitely some of the most memorable of my childhood. While there were plenty of shows airing at this time, these top 5 MTV shows will stick out to you as some of the best.
MTV – Parental Control
Today, I think the idea of my parents setting up a date for me sounds like just short of a nightmare, but back in the day we all couldn’t get enough of a show that had this idea. Parental Control ran from 2006 to 2010, and centered around parents fed up with their child’s boyfriend/girlfriend. To get them out of their life, the parents would interview a group of people based on their job, education and personality. Each parent would pick a person to go on a date with their child, and at the end of the episode, the kid chose either one of the new dates or to stay with their current partner.
MTV – Next
By the 2000s, MTV was no stranger to dating shows. From 2005 to 2008, Next was one of those shows that was a bit of a train wreck but you couldn’t keep your eyes away from it. The show featured a man or woman seeking a partner in their life, and a group of five men or women to go on the date with the main contestant. All of the dates sit on what was called the “Next Bus” while the one of the dates was out with the main contestant. If the date did something that was off-putting, the main contestant would say “Next” and send them back to the bus- hence the name the show. Awkward and definitely cringey at points, Next is one show you couldn’t resist.
MTV Cribs
“Hey MTV, Welcome to my Crib” is a phrase I think we all can remember from this iconic time of television. Being obsessed with celebrities has been around for ages, but nothing quite fuelled our obsession with celebrities like MTV Cribs did. No show brought you as deep into the lives of our favorite actors, singers, rappers, and stars before Cribs. Each show features house and mansion tours of top celebrities, showing fancy kitchens, expensive cars, and eclectic gadgets of their homes. Cribs first aired in 2000 and is still running today!
Pimp My Ride
When I was a kid, no show was cooler than Pimp My Ride. Seeing ordinary people with banged-up, dingy cars get complete car makeovers was like seeing magic right before your eyes. The awesome paint jobs, the excessively luxurious insides (PS2 in the trunk with jumbo speakers anyone?), and Exhibit’s hilarious personality made the show addicting to watch and one I search for on Youtube every once in a while.
Jackass
Nothing quite transformed the culture of MTV like Jackass did. Featuring stupid and dangerous stunts and pranks from Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Bam Margera, Ryan Dunn, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Preston Lacy, Wee Man, etc., Jackass simultaneously made you laugh, cringe and get a little uncomfortable. The show originally aired from 2000 to 2002 and has since expanded into a franchise that has six movies and several spin-off series like Wildboyz and Viva La Bam. If I didn’t pick Jackass as number one on this list, I most definitely would have picked Viva La Bam, which featured Bam Margera, his close friends and family doing all sorts of weird and hilarious stunts and pranks.
Which MTV show do you remember most from the 2000s?