BLOGS

MTV: Changes We Can Believe In

MTV recently announced that it will be shutting down its Times Square studio since, now that there's no TRL, the space is usually vacant. Guess those poor "woo-hoo" girls will have to find a new place to stand and scream. The network also announced that it will launch five more scripted shows this fall. Both of these developments seem to be signifying the end of an era... an era when this music television network was solely focused on a lot of mediocre (yet addictive) reality programming. But what the network really needs to do is return to its roots. Here are my suggestions of what they should bring back to their airwaves.

Remote Control
The original featured the likes of Denis Leary, Colin Quinn and Adam Sandler. So what they should do is find a bunch of up-and-coming actors and give them a chaotic game show where they can run a little wild and test the trivia mettle of annoyingly dumb teen/college kids.

The State
With this sketch show finally now arriving on DVD, I really remember how much I missed this comedy series. Sure Michael & Michael Have Issues fills that void a little bit, but ideally I'd like the full cast reunited and new episodes of this produced, stat.

Random Talk Shows
Before Jon Stewart became the politically savvy host of The Daily Show, he goofed off on his self-titled talk/variety show on MTV. It didn't last that long, but we sure enjoyed the haphazard nature of this show. I like It's On With Alexa Chung, but its a bit too polished. I'd like a show with a comedian at the helm to poke fun at the world and constantly surprise me.

120 Minutes and/or Headbanger's Ball
A show devoted to music that isn't by Asher Roth, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Lil Wayne and other insanely popular fare would be a welcome change of pace. While alternative and metal might not be the rage nowadays, I'd be happy to see a show that features up-and-coming-acts or indie rock or, really, anything would be fine. Yes, I realize that MTV2 has some of these offerings, but I'd like to see a show on the mothership that acknowledges that there is music in the world that isn't played on Clear Channel.

Downtown or Original Flavor Julie Brown
In general, I sort of miss the old-school VJ. I watched so much MTV in my youth that these VJs were practically family members. They didn't just introduce videos, they had style and flair and seemingly genuine personalities -- something that is often lacking among the current crop of MTV talent. Wubba, wubba, wubba.

Music Videos
I've been saying for years that I'd like more music videos on the Music TeleVision station, but that seems unlikely. The only videos that get played seem to be either aired in the wee hours of the morning or in between episodes of 16 and Pregnant and Is She Really Going Out With Him? Even then, there is a remarkably small rotation of videos squashed between shows. It seems that the majority of music on this network actually airs during their reality programming, with a little bug of the artist and song title and a promo for Rhapsody. The Hills is not a music video... or maybe it is, and I've just been mistaking it for a reality show all along.

What do you miss about MTV that you'd like to see them bring back? Or have you moved on and stopped caring?

12 Comments

August 12, 2009 3:14 PM
amchornetgirl
Reply

I haven't watched anything on MTV since the early 90s, and I haven't missed it. They quit being about music long, long ago.

August 12, 2009 4:14 PM
kricka
Reply

MTV can suck it. I hung on the The Real World way past it's prime, and now there is nothing on at there that interests me in the slightest (except maybe a lazy day MADE marathon when I am nursing a hangover).

August 12, 2009 4:33 PM
Joanne
Reply

I LOVED Remote Control! I also miss Daria.

Rarely watch MTV now and looking at the new shows, it is unlikely I will watch it in the future.

August 12, 2009 8:38 PM
Katie
Reply

Or how about Liquid Television? For some reason, I loved watching that creepy puppet chick. Or even the Oddities...I have The Maxx on VHS and from time to time will pop it in.

August 12, 2009 9:02 PM
Kelly
Reply

Easy - bring back the music. Bring back the VJs. Bring back Daria, Beavis & Butthead, Remote Control, and music. Give us music. Seriously.

I have not really watched MTV in years because it's just crap. The Real World stopped being "real" about either New Orleans or Hawaii, I forget which, and I can't tell you the last time I actually saw a decent music video airing on MTV.

Heck, VH1 has turned into a Top 100 Greatest of the (Insert Era/Genre Here) which is marginally better because you DO at least get a taste of some good music in between irrelevant comedian commentary.

August 12, 2009 9:03 PM
Kelly
Reply

Easy - bring back the music. Bring back the VJs. Bring back Daria, Beavis & Butthead, Remote Control, and music. Give us music. Seriously.

I have not really watched MTV in years because it's just crap. The Real World stopped being "real" about either New Orleans or Hawaii, I forget which, and I can't tell you the last time I actually saw a decent music video airing on MTV.

Heck, VH1 has turned into a Top 100 Greatest of the (Insert Era/Genre Here) which is marginally better because you DO at least get a taste of some good music in between irrelevant comedian commentary.

August 13, 2009 8:22 AM
Cesar
Reply

I've definitely given up on MTV, probably when I went to college, but one thing (besides actual music videos, heh) that I'd tune back in for is the great animation of the '90s: Beavis and Butthead, Daria, Aeon Flux, The Head, The Maxx... I mean, it won't happen, but it's still nice to dream.

August 13, 2009 9:51 AM
Craig
Reply

God, I miss Daria. That was some prime snark in its time. I would have loved to have seen Daria and Jane dealing with college.

August 13, 2009 10:54 AM
Fil
Reply

Although MTV had alraedy begun to decline by 1997, I think the channel was almost at its best back then. TRL hadn't started yet - thankfully - and there was MTV Live with former MTV Europe VJ Toby Amies.
1997 was the time when Daria was introduced and MTV in general had this "alternative" feel to it, with loads of weird electronica played on the AMP show (Aphex Twin, Future Sound Of London, Orbital, Meat Beat Manifesto anyone?). They even had 12 Angry Viewers on which was pretty funny to watch. Besides, there was still an acceptable balance between music videos and non-music content - with most non-music content being actually interesting to watch and not too wrong for MTV, such as the old cartoons. I miss the days when MTV was relevant, the pre-Britney era, the pre-vapid shallowness age!

August 13, 2009 2:47 PM
Brie
Reply

Besides bringing back actual music, the animated shows were brilliant: Beavis & Butthead, Daria, Downtown, Sifl & Olly (not animated, but still funny) & Aeon Flux.

August 13, 2009 5:28 PM
Karen
Reply

LIQUID TELEVISION. Do it now, MTV. Also yay and yes to Sifl & Olly, tho I think that was a singular occurence that can't be recreated.

August 13, 2009 8:53 PM
Jason
Reply

Honestly, once they replaced Clone High with Punk'd, it was pretty much over.

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