DC SocialPulse: Road to Double Shot Tuesday #8

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, 

Viewer Discretion is Advised. Also take breaks frequently 

while reading this post to relieve eye strain. ***

BY DC CUEVA
> @DC408dxtr / @DC408dxnow

Welcome one and all to this special Double Shot of DC SocialPulse with me, DC Cueva. Ahead here this weekend, we'll have all the Action, Reaction and Interaction of the 8th edition of Double Shot Tuesday with all the tweets surrounding Episode 11 of Real World Skeletons and Episode 8 of The Challenge: Battle of the Exes 2.
   But first before all that, occasionally DCBLOG will present a separate edition of The 'Pulse to bring you the lead-up before a huge episode, with those episode tweets presented in a separate post. We've done that for numerous premieres and finales, and it's also necessary to do these once in a while for technical reasons to help conserve time and space on the weekly posts that I do.
   But in this case, last weekend was not only Oscars weekend, but also the taping of the Exes 2 Reunion in New York City. Plus, there was also the annoucement of the Manny Pacquiao/Floyd Mayweather fight (which we'll be covering on a special sports 'Pulse post itself soon) and the passing of a VH1 reality personality from cancer.

Coming up here in this special pre-Double Shot Tuesday edition of The 'Pulse, the Exes 2 cast coming together in New York to tape the reunion, plus Team MTV watching Hollywood's biggest night and much more. And after all those tweets, we'll have perspective on the first Real World'er to hold an Oscar, and unveil the next new show I'll be live tweeting on DCNOW...and to give you a little tease, don't be surprised what it is. That's all ahead after the jump.

DC SocialPulse: Double Shot Tuesday - RW Skeletons EP10 & Exes2 EP7 (MEGA)

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language and spoilers 

for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Also take breaks 
frequently while reading this long post to relieve eye strain. ***

BY DC CUEVA
> @DC408dxtr / @DC408dxnow

Welcome again to DC SocialPulse as we bring you the Action, Reaction and Interaction of the 7th edition of Double Shot Tuesday here on this Oscar Sunday. This past Tuesday saw us meet family members of three Real World'ers, Bruno get mad, Challengers face trivia and a double elimination.

   Last week on EP9 of Real World Skeletons, Nicole got a warm welcome from her "skeletons", her sisters from back home in Staten Island, while Bruno's temper over food of all things becomes a big issue. This week, he is the one who faces the music as his skeleton, an estranged brother he hadn't spoken since a huge blowup three years earlier, arrives in Chicago. This isn't the only family affair in the house as both Tony's brother from Baton Rouge and Violetta's friends from Florida also visit the house, which leads to fights with the guys with the former and a birthday boat party for the ladder.

   Episode 6 of Exes 2 last Tuesday saw the toughest mission so far as the competitors had to endure, which led to huge tempers getting the most of many of the competitors. We also had a close elimination that included Dome destroyers vs. a couple in peril that ended with a cliffhanger, and that's where Episode 7 picks up. We then have the kind of challenge TJ Lavin always relishes: a trivia contest that tests everyone's brains. What's shocking about this week is who wins, and it's their decision of who they put into the Dome that's even more shocking, making perhaps some enemies.

   Following all the tweets during and surrounding the episodes, this MEGA edition will have a special expanded Triple Crush edition of theWRAP that will cover not just this week's dramatic Real World, but also because of the "to be continued" from EP6 - both last week's & this week's Exes 2 episodes. Then on DC ExtraTime, we'll have a new DC LIST with some close Challenge elimination battles, along with one alum's successful mission.

- As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but I am keeping it uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-)
- Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then don't proceed. But don't worry, bookmark DCBLOG as I will compile all of these tweets into these posts after every episode so you won't be in the dark of how your favorites saw this all unfold.

So after the jump, catch up on the temper, triumphs, tragedy and more in Real World/Challenge land.

Real World Memories: The Creator and The Letter

By DC CUEVA

> @DC408dxtr / @DC408dxnow

As Season 30 of The Real World rolls on in Chicago, it's 23 years since the show first debuted on the MTV airwaves in the summer of 1992. It is the longest-running show in MTV history, the longest-running primetime entertainment series in the history of basic cable, and the show that pioneered the ubiquitous genre of reality television.
   If you're old enough to remember and have watched the show since the early days, then you'll easily notice how the both this current season, Skeletons in Chicago, and the most recent one Ex-Plosion last year in San Francisco, are totally different from the earlier, old-school seasons. If you're young and were introduced to this show only recently or by the mere luck of finding out about the new twist of people from the dark pasts of the roomies coming to Chi-Town, you'll be hard-pressed to find that the Real World you watch today was much different back then. And if you're one who's watched at least part of every season like me, you'll notice the evolution of the show and find while find many things were different back then, others have remained the same since.

The Real World has had an indelible impact on television, with its groundbreaking, fly-in-the-wall documentary approach to telling the stories of amazing people growing up at the turn of the 21st century, and putting into focus the issues and struggles of them that viewers can relate to. And of course, it captures these young people enjoying those first rites of being an adult and enjoying what it's like to live with random strangers in a city they have never lived in before.
   The first season in 1992 in New York set the perimeter for what the show would become over the next two decades. Its cast of Eric, Heather B, Kevin, Julie, Norm, Becky and Andre provided MTV viewers with something they had never experienced before: a TV show they can actually relate to. From Eric becoming a heartthrob, to Heather B rapping & walking a dog, Kevin & Julie's street argument about race to Becky breaking the fourth wall, it set the mold for reality TV.

If you happen to own the DVD set of the very first Real World season from that pre-HD, pre-I Everything and more music-based MTV age of 1992, one of the special features included in that 2002 release is a commentary track from show co-creator Jonathan Murray. That was recorded just before I started watching the show religiously in Hawaii in 1999, and included in the RW New York DVD.

   It was the idea of both him and the late Mary-Ellis Bunim to create this series, a hybrid concept born out of her soap opera experience and his news & docs experience to literally change the game for both MTV and the entire television industry. More than two decades after The Real World's debut, and ten years after Bunim's passing, he continues to serve as an executive producer for the RW/Challenge franchise as well as serving as Chairman of Bunim-Murray Productions. In addition, BMP also produces The Kardashians franchise and Total Divas for E!, Bad Girls Club for Oxygen and Project Runway for Lifetime, among others.

   Taking the opportunity to reflect on the show's impact and history prior to when it began filming Real World Hawaii, DCBLOG transcribed the entire 23 minute interview with Murray taken from the DVD. After the jump, read his thoughts and perspective on the origins of the series, that first season in SoHo and two of its key moments, and the show's growing popularity & impact just before the reality TV boom that would soon follow. And also check out the letter that changed the game.

DC SocialPulse: Double Shot Tuesday: RW Skeletons EP9 & Exes2 EP6

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language and spoilers 

for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Also take breaks 
frequently while reading this long post to relieve eye strain. ***

BY DC CUEVA
> @DC408dxtr / @DC408dxnow

Welcome again to DC SocialPulse and Happy Valentine's Day to everyone. What did Cupid bring to you all this Saturday? It's the 'Pulse for our sixth edition of Double Shot Tuesday. And on Tuesday, we saw a bit of a change of pace for RW Skeletons, and a possible finals preview that may determine the contenders in Panama.

   Last week on Real World Skeletons, Violetta was the latest castmate to deal with her skeletons coming to Chicago as her two worst enemies from school came for a visit to settle an old score, plus encounter her inner demons of dealing with an eating disorder. This week, the weeks of flirting and romance finally come to a head as the couple in the house become official. Our resident Staten Islander receives two surprise visitors who force her to face her commitment issues and grow up, while Bruno's temper continues to be a big issue prior to him having to face his skeleton.

   And last week on Exes 2, the house was turned upside down when the ongoing feud between Wes & Theresa and Bananas & Nany led to the ladder being put into the Dome. We then saw that Power Couple lose an elimination to Nia & Leroy in stunning fashion, as well as fireworks on the After Show. This week sees the toughest mission yet as it shakes up the exes like never before when patience and temper became the order of the day. One couple reaches their breaking point when the reputation of one player questions their fate in the game before going into elimination.
   Along with all the tweets during and surrounding the episodes, we'll also look at a temporary health scare for a member of this season's Exes 2 cast and the latest fangirl moment for a Free Agent. And after theWRAP on DC ExtraTime, some thoughts on those family moments on The Real World and how Diem Brown is being remembered in two ways three months after her passing.

- As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but I am keeping it uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-)
- Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then don't proceed. But don't worry, bookmark DCBLOG as I will compile all of these tweets into these posts after every episode so you won't be in the dark of how your favorites saw this all unfold.

So after the jump, check out the outpouring of love for that castmate, along with the week that was in Real World/Challenge land.

DC SocialPulse: Double Shot Tuesday - RW Skeletons EP8 & Exes2 EP5 (MEGA)

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language and spoilers 

for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Also take breaks 
frequently while reading this long post to relieve eye strain. ***

BY DC CUEVA
> @DC408dxtr / @DC408dxnow

Welcome again to DC SocialPulse and our fifth edition of Double Shot Tuesday, as well as this MEGA edition covering this week's events. And this week, we had another huge week where in the Windy City, we saw Sarasota's finest deal with both personal and past issues, while in Panama we experienced a game-changer. And we waved farewell to two of MTV's leading ladies.
   Last week on Real World Skeletons, we saw Tony at the heart of a love square as his ex-girlfriends Alyssa and Elizabeth joined with his love in the house, Madison, in the battle for his heart. Plus, we also had a huge catfight that saw poor Madison getting put in a headlock by Sylvia when Maddy got into it with Violetta. Speaking of V, this week sees her skeletons come into Chicago as her two worst enemies crash the house to settle an old score, while also encountering her inner demons of a very personal struggle. And aside from that, Bruno's sexual frustrations go into haywire.

   And last week on Exes 2, Zach & Jonna became Power Team, while Brittany & Adam excused Jemmye & Knight as Team NOLA made their last appearance on our screens, and obviously, there was an emotional tribute to Knight on the After Show. This week, game play is at the heart of the events as the ongoing feud between two power couples reaches its height in the game of win or go home. And it all leads to the most shocking elimination we've seen in a while, along with fireworks on the After Show, Zach's allegiances are questioned, and even an unusual liquid consumption.

Along with all the tweets before, during and after the episodes, find out who fangirled Missy Elliott after her Super Bowl halftime cameo, and which sportscaster found himself moderating a twitter beef between two of this week's key figures. After theWRAP in DC ExtraTime, we'll have some perspective on how Violetta can relate to a Challenge legend in what they endured in their original RW season, and how a part of recent Real World history is making its way across network lines.

   And in honor of two of Team MTV's leading ladies, as an added bonus this week, we'll also have a SocialPulse Extra sandwiched in between our RW/Challenge coverage to cover Wednesday's series finale of Snooki & JWOWW as the Jersey Shore duo say goodbye to a great six-year run on MTV as the Snooks gets hitched.

- As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but I am keeping it uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-)
- Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then don't proceed. But don't worry, bookmark DCBLOG as I will compile all of these tweets into these posts after every episode so you won't be in the dark of how your favorites saw this all unfold.

So, after the jump, join us for V's moment of truth, love, sweat and tears in Panama, and one last night with the Jersey Shore crew.