Before the days of Teen Mom and Catfish, MTV was home to rich kids, music videos and hilariously cheesy dating shows. Take a blast to the past and check out these nine classic throwback shows!
1. My Super Sweet 16
There’s something so wrong yet totally addicting about watching bratty teens spend more money on their 16th birthday parties than most people spend on their weddings.
2. Parental Control
Parents setting their kids up on blind dates – what could go wrong? The best part of this show was watching the parents and current boyfriend or girlfriend watch the dates unfold on TV while trash-talking the potential suitors.
3. NEXT
Remember that dating show that took place on a bus? If only we could yell, “NEXT!” in real life whenever we got bored with a conversation.
4. Made
Let’s be honest, we all secretly wanted MTV to swoop in and make us into a cheerleader or pop star at some point.
5. Pimp My Ride
Pimp My Ride was like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for cars. “I heard you like cats, so we took your car, turned it into a cat and filled it with cats!”
6. The Osbournes
Before there were the Kardashians, there were the Osbournes. It just goes to show that as long as there are dysfunctional, famous families willing to turn their lives into a television show, there will be people to watch it.
7. Total Request Live
Way back when music-video countdowns were a thing (and Carson Daly was relevant), TRL was the show to watch for live performances from the likes of Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC and Christina Aguilera.
8. MTV Cribs
Cribs gave us an inside glimpse into the over-the-top houses of wealthy celebrities (not to mention totally unrealistic expectations for our future homes). Some of the hallmarks of the show included refrigerator tours and the celebrity bringing the cameras into the bedroom and saying, “This is where the magic happens” (seriously).
9. Laguna Beach
Rich teens, tanning on beaches, Lauren Conrad and lots and lots of drama. What more could you want out of a “reality” show?