10 Best First Episodes of Real World Seasons

Tomorrow the new season of the Real World will air, and it looks to have a lot of action in store for us. However, it’s hard to say whether or not we’ll see a lot of action in the first episode. Some seasons take a while to dive into the deep content, while some seasons jump right into the action. Let’s check out the seasons the start off with a bang!

It’s important to note that I am basing the first episode as what was aired on the first night. Some of the earlier seasons had hour-long premiers that are technically classified as 2 episodes, but for the purposes of this post I am classifying those hour-long premiers as one episode.

1. New York (1992)

Of course the original season is going to make the list, because when The Real World was new it was exciting to see how different people would react to living with roommate with different background than themselves. This premier focused heavily on the issue of race, especially after Heather’s beeper (it was 1992 after all) went off, and Julie asked if she sold drugs.

2. San Francisco (1994)

This premier really set the pace for the season. Of course, this season is best remembered for Pedro, a HIV positive male living in the house. As he revealed his condition, viewer were able to observe the reactions and concerns of his roommates…minus Puck, who could not make it into the Real World house without getting arrested first.

3. Hawaii (1999)

You may remember the Hawaii premier because Teck and Ruthie got naked and jumped into the pool. Or, you may remember the premier because Ruthie scared her roommates after a dangerous night of binge drinking. After having to call and ambulance for her, roommates expressed concerns for her behaviors but Ruthie was reluctant to seek help.

Fortunately, Ruthie is now in a much better place and has turned these negative experiences into a positive because she is also to help other who are struggling with alcohol problems.

4. Las Vegas (2002)

Love was in the air during the Vegas premier… or maybe it was just lust. After the roommate settled on who was living in which room (and it did take a while), a recently divorced Steven found himself hooking up with southern-bell Trishelle. Of course, this put follow roommate Frank in an awkward situation after he told Steven about his attraction toward Trishelle.

5. San Diego (2004)

The original San Diego’s premier featured everything an interesting cast should. Jamie rode a motorcycle for the first time (thank to Brad) and roommates bonded over their experiences working in a night club. However, things got more serious when Frankie revealed that she was struggling with cystic fibrosis and then some drunken mistakes led to relationships being jeopardized.

6. Austin (2005)

The Austin premier introduced a group of strangers into a new city, as premiers always do. However, the memorable aspect of the premier was when Danny got into a street fight with a local. Fortunately, Melinda was right by his side to take care of him.

7. Denver (2006)

The Denver premier was really a big game of roommate roulette. Brooke and Jenn make out in the hot tub, tempting Tyrie. Then, Alex was able to hook up with two of his roommates. First Colie, then Jenn. Add this to the fact that Stephen and Davis’s conflicting views on homosexuality and religion cause and argument, and everyone in the house was caught in some first-episode drama.

8. Brooklyn (2009)

Brooklyn’s premier really took The Real World back to its roots as Katelynn, as transsexual woman, began opening up about her identity to her roommates. Viewers were able to see how others in the house felt, and what concerns they had. In a time where The Real World was becoming increasingly focused on drunken fights, this was a welcomed chance of pace.

9. Cancun (2009)

The Cancun premier was an interesting one because people started to hook up as soon as they crossed the border. After being attracted to Emilee, CJ dumped his girlfriend from home. However, the most memorable moment from the premier was when Joey hooked up with a girl on spring break… as Bronne was hooking up with that girl’s mother.

10. St. Thomas (2012)

The season 27 premier was another premier that really set the pace from the season. On the first episode we saw two budding relationships. One between Robb and Marie and another between Laura and Trey. We also learned about Brandon’s difficult past and how his insecurities made it difficult while immersing himself in a group of new people.

Are there any great premier episodes that I missed? Also, how do you think the Real World Explosion premier will stack up when compared to other seasons?