In 1992, MTV changed the face of television with the launch of The Real World. In 2021, they're bringing it back in a very special way.
The show, which became the birth of reality TV as we now know it today, launched with seven young strangers from varied backgrounds — model Eric Nies, dancer Julie Gentry, hip hop artist Heather B. Gardner, poet and educator Kevin Powell, filmmaker Norman Korpi, musician Andre Comeau and folk singer Becky Blasband — moving into a New York City apartment together to "have their lives taped to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real."
Nearly three decades later, those seven strangers haven't lived together since — until now.
MTV has announced The Real World Homecoming: New York, a six-episode reunion series as part of the March 4 launch of Paramount+. The show will see the roommates moving back into their original SoHo loft and once again having their lives taped.
According to MTV, "the original seven strangers will revisit the shocking moments and explosive issues that transpired during the historic season and discuss how they parallel in today's social climate."
Created for MTV by Jonathan Murray and the late Mary-Ellis Bunim of Bunim/Murray Productions, The Real World has aired 33 seasons, as well as spinoffs Road Rules for 14 seasons and The Challenge, which is currently airing its 36th season.
Multiple seasons of The Real World and its spinoffs are available to stream now on CBS All Access, soon to be rebranded as Paramount+.
"The Real World is been credited with creating the reality TV genre and was one of the first series that tackled important and yet unrepresented topics such as LGBTQ, race, gender, HIV/AIDS and religion," Chris McCarthy, president of MTV Entertainment Group, said in a statement. "With Paramount+ being the home to so many global reality hit franchises it seems only fitting to bring back the franchise and cast that started it all for the launch."