MTV has some new shows on the air, and they aren't the typical MTV fair that we have grown accustomed to in the years since the network stopped playing videos. These are not Road Rules or Real World. These are not 16 & Pregnant, Jersey Shore or The Hills. These are a new breed of shows, and MTV might not be the best place for them.
First up is The Hard Times of RJ Berger, a new show by Seth Grahame-Smith. Seth Grahame-Smith created some buzz 2 years ago when he published Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The show centers on RJ Berger, a high school student at the bottom of the social ladder. One day he is forced to sub in a basketball game when too many players foul out. The loaner uniform he is given is a few sizes too big, but as he was instructed to just stand on the court to fulfill minimum player numbers, it isn't a big deal. When the ball comes his way, he has no option but to take a shot, which results in his shorts, and eventually his jock strap falling to the ground. Standing naked before most of the student body, it is revealed that RJ is hung like Dirk Diggler. The comedy is raunchy, and there is no need for innuendo when your premise focuses on a teenage boy with immense phallic endowment. If RJ's phallic prominence isn't enough, his parents are wild swingers, his best female friend is hopelessly in lust with him, and his best male friend wants to use RJs 'celebrity' to his advantage. Through it all, RJ tries to go from dud to stud, zero to hero. He'll run for student council, join the school play and basically do whatever he can to become popular.
Following RJ Berger is Warren the Ape. You might remember the show Greg the Bunny with Seth Green, Eugene Levy, and a bevvy of puppet characters. Warren the Ape is a "reality show" spin-off from that series. Warren is attending rehab and therapy at the hands of Dr. Drew. Warren "The Ape" DeMontague spent many years working hack jobs to fuel his sex, booze and drug addictions, and this show follows him on his road to recovery. In the first episode, Warren tries out for a commercial for a children's cereal. When an old rival of his, a cuddly puppet, also auditions, Warren decides to set-up his rival with a former prostitute to tarnish his image. The sex tape 'leaks' to the internet and spoils his rivals chances to get the job. Similar to RJ Berger, this puppet is also well endowed, which results in him getting regular work as a porn star. Warren's attempt to sabotage someone else, eventually comes back to haunt him in the long run.
Herein lies the problem. Both shows are clever, funny, and mostly original. RJ Berger is a more humorous and younger version of HBOs HUNG, and Warren the Ape is a spin-off from a FOX/IFC property. They both employ blue humor, and for the most part, the both do it enjoyably. The biggest hurdle both of these shows have to overcome is their network. MTV has a history of mindless programming, and the demographic that these shows target typically avoid the network airing them. I only learned of them accidentally, seeing a blurb about them in print after they had already began on air. It seems that the marketing for the shows has been sub-par, as both shows are hovering below 1 million viewers weekly. Compare this to Jersey Shore, an embarrassment wrapped in a mistake, which scored 3.6+ million viewers. Most of the people that would chug beers, wear Ed Hardy, chest bump a 'bro' and invest in spray tan would enjoy these shows, yet MTV fails to attract the viewers. Tucking the shows away late Monday nights, and premiering them at the start of the summer, can do nothing but hurt these properties. In an ideal world, Spike or G4 would air these shows, as the stoner, nerd, and male demographics are pretty heavily tuned into those networks. The ratings for the shows may result in early cancellations, which is why I appeal to you to tune in and check these shows out. I like well written, intelligent programming as much as the next guy, but sometimes I need a guffaw and a belly laugh too. Set your tuner to scatological and enjoy.
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