The upcoming 33rd season of The Real World: Atlanta is moving from TV to the internet, and it will only be available on Facebook Watch. The new platform has had mixed reviews by fans, but, overall, the drama of the series is the same as recent seasons - seven very diverse humans coexisting in the same house.
When The Real World first premiered its first season back in 1992, viewers were sucked into the reality and drama of the show. As it turns 17 years old, MTV is attempting to revamp an old fan favorite show to make it more interactive and appealing to younger audiences. The Real World is known for providing an open and public platform for discussions of hard topics; and this season, The Real World: Atlanta cast includes a black activist, a DACA recipient, a queer Muslim woman, a gay conservative black man, a small-town farmer, a domestic abuse survivor, and a religious Southern virgin.
However, now that The Real World is back for Season 33, with an all-new platform, there are bound to be some big changes. That said, the most obvious difference between having a show adapted from TV to Facebook is its physical dimensions, now that it's been adapted to fit phone screens. Another notable change is that the episodes have been changed from being one-hour-long to 25-minutes-long, and will also feature a different editing style and no commercial breaks.
Another huge difference in the show is the ability for fans to express their opinion immediately through the comments section, and fans have already started sounding off their opinions on the new season. One viewer commented, "These short 'data-friendly' episodes are ok. I’m interested and happy to see TRW back, but I want a full 1-hour production." Another wrote, "Love the show. Hate this confusing platform. Hard to find the show to be honest, sucks that it’s easiest to find on my phone too this tiny little screen." However, not all of the comments were negative about the show's new format. One fan commented: "It feels more engaged and doesn’t require all that much time. We don’t have to deal with commercials."
Although it seems like a whole new direction for The Real World, it is actually, in a way, going back to its roots, considering the first 19 seasons' episodes were also a half-hour long. It remains to be seen if The Real World: Atlanta can make viewers feel the same nostalgia they felt for the last 27 years through their cellphone screens with this "new genre of television." As different as the show feels now, one thing remains the same - the dynamic and diverse cast that will open up doors for conversation and discussion whether viewers are ready or not.
New episodes of The Real World: Atlanta air every Thursday on Facebook Watch.
Source: The Real World