Apparently, last night was the premiere of That’s Amore, wherein a guy with the most ridiculously fake accent regularly featured on a television program in recent memory tries to find love or ratings or whatever. Really, MTV? Is this what it’s come to? Isn’t a wrestling match in a pool of spaghetti a little close to territory already covered by The Joe Schmo Show (a show whose comeback I would welcome, if anyone cares)?
Instead of dwelling on the negative, let’s focus on the slightly less negative. We’re all aware that music is out of the question, but what MTV programming currently in the channel’s dustbin division deserves a comeback, so as to spare viewers the sight of the guy pictured above sporting a Speedo?
1. Celebrity Deathmatch
Celebrity Deathmatch is still on the air, but it’s apparently been stuck somewhere between re-broadcasts of America’s Next Top Model and I’ve missed it. But the announcement that Vampire Weekend is the musical guest on this week’s Saturday Night Live made me wonder if we don’t need a Celebrity Deathmatch showdown between the Columbia-educated kids and the Strokes, who are really Vampire Weekend with more swagger and fewer delightful sweaters.
2. AL TV
I don’t know if “Weird Al” Yankovic has anything to promote right now, but these “interviews” are comedy gold. If they can get the guy who played the janitor on UHF to show up, there’s thirty minutes of humor already. (I’m sure Al would be willing to add some girls in bikinis, if only to satiate MTV’s appetite for such.)
3. Remote Control
(and just for Maura, here’s part two)
I know, everyone misses Remote Control. If only I would have been old enough to try out back then. So sad.
4. Club MTV
I don’t actually miss this show, but please, I barely have the energy to skip past That’s Amore. I’ll take anything at this point. The Beach House. Fraternity Life. Anything.
is “Beavis and Butthead” too obvious?
Hangin’ With MTV, obvs. I think John Norris still works there. Or maybe his resurrected corpse.
Sifyl and Ollie?
JUST SAY JULIE!!!
120 Minutes please… The Highball with the Eyeball… Peter Zaremba was awesome!
Duh! Singled Out!
Okay, I’m kidding…I have other ways to ogle Jenny McCarthy.
Yo! MTV Raps because it would be hillarous to see Soulja Boy hanging out with Fab 5 Freddy, Dre, Ed Lova and other old dudes his grandpa’s age…
The State is long overdue for a revival.
I vote for Rob & Big.
House of Style, please.
No appreciation for Lip Service?
I had a really traumatic nightmare in second grade that a kid in my class was on Remote Control and our class took a field trip to see it being filmed and then KEN OBER MURDERED HIM.
unrelatedly, what about the grind? mtv needs more himbos, esp. now that eric nies covers lacrosse events and looks like somebody who, um, covers lacrosse events.
@christopher tracy: fuck yes.
You Wrote It, You Watch It, Liquid TV, and the various weird-ass cartoons that appeared in MTV promos are missed.
@bcapirigi: Ha, when I was a kid the contestant execution routine scared the hell out of me.
+ Watch video
@Chris Molanphy: What the hell, I’ll nominate it in earnest.
Actually, a quick Wikipedia check hints at a revival with Tara “Given a Second Chance by Donald Trump” Connor as the host. Eesh, nevermind.
I have to admit I miss “Jackass”, and esp Chris Pontius
/shame
Rockline. Bring back Martha Quinn!
This thread is useless without Rich Girls
Ha! I am, sadly, old enough to have not only tried out BUT to have been on Remote Control. Oh. I scored zero. But I got the most sarcastic comments in!
@
Also, if they want to go for the controversial/drama/nothing-to-do-with-music angle they’ve been getting high on the last decade, “Undressed”…
If they can get the guy who played the janitor on UHF to show up, there’s thirty minutes of humor already.
You sly dog.
CLONE HIGH!!!!!!!!
Liquid Television
The State
120 Minutes (the original…not the sanitized MTV2 version that made me die a little bit inside everytime a Good Charlotte video came on)
No love for “Sifle and Ollie”?
@Ned Raggett: You have to get your kicks where you can.
Still his greatest performance, really.
“FREE TOY INSIDE! FREE TOY!”
@Ned Raggett: If films were judged by how many times I’ve watched portions of them on basic cable, UHF would be seen as the greatest film of all time.
@Dan Gibson: In my case, thinking back to my early eighties cable ODing, it would have to be Cannonball Run.
BUZZKILL!!!!
Can I get an amen for Yack Live? Hey - it was Gawker when Nick Denton was still being put together in the lab.
I would suggest the counter-intuitive route of ditching shows altogether and just play some damn music…
No matter how mildly entertaining “Rob and Big” can be, it aint music…Videos, concerts, unplugged, making the album etc…that is what they should be doing and would likely capture a solid audience were they to go to that model…
How about they show music videos?
What about Austin Stories?
@Dan Gibson: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” for me.
5. The Grind
Sifle and Ollie and The State… we know Reno 911 ain’t gonna live forever. And United States of Whatever is pretty much already dead. Read: These guys need work!
I don’t actually miss this show
u mad.
What about Randy of the Redwoods?
Also Dead At 21. Man that last ep was a cliffhanger, and I’ve been waiting a dozen or so years for resolution.
Sandblast, Say What Karoake, the Assistant, and Buzzkill would all be great shows to bring back.
Spyder Games would be the most amazingly shitty show that they absolutely NEED to bring back (and Natalia should totally do porn).
Daria
The State
Sifl and Olly
Buzzkill