Sometimes, it feels like we can’t have any nice things. In 2021 and 2022, Paramount+ reunited three former Real World casts for Homecoming seasons, but in February 2023, the seasons were silently removed from the service.
While the concept of a show being canceled can be easy to comprehend, the fact that the show is gone after it was completed and aired is a bit confusing.
While there hasn’t been an official announcement by Paramount, there are many factors hidden in plain sight that explain why Real World: Homecoming is gone.
1. The Show Was Canceled
Paramount never announced the end of Real World: Homecoming, but it’s quite apparent that the streaming platform hasn’t invested in a new season in over two years.
Is this decision a mistake? Most people would say so, especially because the show was actually critically acclaimed. But, there’s also a finite number of Real World seasons that could be reunited, and that number is significantly reduced when we consider many seasons have roommates who refuse to return. So, making a fourth season might be logistically impossible.
2. The Showtime Merger
At the same time Real World: Homecoming disappeared, Paramount+ announced a partnership with Showtime. This could indicate a new direction for the two services, but that’s more likely to explain why the series wasn’t continued — not the reason the three existing seasons had to disappear.
3. Money
OK, this is the obvious answer, but it also returns to the previously mentioned question: How does removing an already-made show benefit the bottom line?
The most credible statement from Paramount comes in the form of a customer support email where the representative cited “streaming rights” as the conflict. This leads to the next question: How does Paramount have issues with streaming rights on its own content?
Well, every piece of content on streaming services pays royalties to many people including producers, on-camera talent, and other media partners. Specifically, Homecoming seasons included popular music, and these usage rights require Paramount to pay the record companies.
Paramount may have also seen the looming writers’ strike and anticipated they’d pay the show’s writers higher royalties.
Given all of the aforementioned complications, Paramount likely shed Homecoming because its removal could be a tax write-off. Every piece of content on a streaming service is considered an asset. When the service removes one of its assets, the company’s value decreases, lowering its net worth. This has the potential to lower tax payments for the company, and we know (based on the Showtime merger) that finances were a major concern at the start of 2023.
Real World: Homecoming hasn’t been the only show that went away. Paramount+ has also removed original content like the unnecessary Snow Day remake and Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.
Can You Still Watch Real World: Homecoming?
At this time, the only way to legally watch the show is by purchasing it. Only the Los Angeles and New Orleans seasons can be bought on Amazon. The New York season (and the New Orleans season) is available on YouTube.
Stop Being Polite 