The 10 Best Real World Seasons, Ranked — Plus, The 5 Worst!

We never thought we'd utter these words again, but here we are: The Real World is back!

One of the longest-running reality series in TV history, MTV's "true story of seven strangers" is often credited with launching the reality TV genre, at large (no big deal). Debuting March 4 on Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access), the original group will be reunited in The Real World Homecoming: New York, which will follow the cast as they move back into their original loft almost 30 years later (watch the trailer here).

To celebrate its return, we're deep-diving into seasons past to choose our top 10 very favorite Real World seasons of all time (and of course, we'll sprinkle in a few of the worst for good measure). Our picks are fueled by rocky romances, explosive fights, and one brave, gay man's AIDS story that quickly became national news. We also added an honorable mention for an under-loved season that deserved far more attention than it got.

And we're not going to lie: We were glued to allll the hot tub happenings and steamy hookups, as well. Not one, but two threesomes make our list, in addition to a pregnancy scare, an abortion and loads of other hot-button topics that lit up our screens and kept us chatting at the watercooler throughout the decades. (Y'know, back when we actually left our houses and communed around the office water supply.)

A bit of housekeeping: Our "best" picks are ranked, but our "worsts" are not. There have been some truly terrible runs, and after watching all 33 of them... haven't we suffered enough?

Peruse the list and photos below, then be sure to speak your peace in the Comments to tell us which ones we may have missed and which ones you love!

When The Real World was finally ready for a revival, it aired on Facebook Watch rather than on a traditional cabler. With a diverse cast that dealt with actual, modern-day issues (finally!), the series was ready to return to its roots. There was Arely, a nursing student worried about her DACA status; Dondre, a Black Trump supporter struggling to come out to his family; Yasmin, a pansexual, body-positive Muslim; and Justin, a grad student focused on social injustices and racial equality. Abusive relationships, religion and race were just a few of the topics that sprouted up over the course of the roommates' stay, proving that casting unique individuals with something to say is the only ingredient needed to bake up an exceptional season of The Real World. (OK, fine. The hot tub helps, too.)

Ex-Plosion was the beginning of the end for The Real World. For the first time in franchise history, producers changed the format, scrapping the classic "true story" cast narration in favor of a new title sequence and a nauseating editing style. But the most egregious change was waiting for the cast members when they returned from vacation: Unbeknownst to them, five of their exes had moved into their plush San Francisco pad to disrupt the house and kick-start all sorts of drama. While it may sound like the good kind of trash on paper, its producer-manipulated tactics went far against the grain of what the series was originally about, and subsequently led to three additional seasons full of twists that nobody asked for.

While we applaud the season for its incredibly diverse cast, it's Coral and Mike's temperamental relationship that ekes this one into the Top 10. Although Mike's ignorance and naivety often took center stage, the tough conversations between the two (like when Coral took him to task for not knowing when Black History Month was) ultimately led to a friendship that we watched struggle, bloom and grow. Their at-times contemptuous back-and-forths were eye-opening — and a bit shocking! — to watch, and when both roomies returned to the fold to compete on The Challenge, we still couldn't take our eyes off of them.

Following its Las Vegas installment, The Real World took a very deliberate turn toward drunk party shenanigans and kinky hot tub make-out sessions — which hey, we aren't totally knocking. But it was a refreshing to pivot once more with the Brooklyn cast, which included the series' first-ever transgender roommate, Katelynn, along with Ryan, a member of the Army who served in Iraq and suffered from post-traumatic stress. Also notable this season was the battle of the sexes, of sorts, which found the house split down the middle in terms of its closest friendships. Bonus points for introducing us to Sarah Rice, who went on to star in nine seasons of The Challenge.

The city worked so well the first time around as a warm and sunny backdrop to the stories of seven strangers, but as we've all witnessed throughout the years, a season of reality TV sinks or swims depending on its casting. This second San Diego soirée proved far messier and borderline hateful as conversations concerning sexuality fueled offensive statements, ugliness and truly childish behavior. Was this cast completely unlikable or just plain ol' forgettable? It's a toss up.

Before there was Vegas, there was Miami. Ever salacious and sassy, The Real World: Miami was a far cry from the quieter London season that preceded it, opening the franchise up to wilder storylines and scandals against the backdrop of one of Florida's spiciest cities. Mike and Melissa's threesome with a random waitress became a thing of legend (as did Dan and Flora's reaction to the sexy haps going down in the shower). Every person on this cast was a character. From wild child Sarah and hot-headed aspiring model Dan, to the completely uninhibited Flora, every single personality was explosive, and that paid off in spades. Plus, it was the first season that gave the housemates a job (this time giving them the opportunity to start their own business), which led to many conflicting opinions and heated arguments. Miami had a unique vibe, and it spun the series in an entirely fresh direction.

The series' second season had some large shoes to fill, but the next generation of strangers were more than up to the task. Tami Akbar (now known as Basketball Wives' Tami Roman) gave us seasons' worth of storylines alone. Her altercation with David led to the series' first ousted houseguest, and later, she got an abortion on camera, which couldn't possibly have been more "real." Irish journalist Dominic added some necessary flavor, while the Los Angeles season also introduced us to one of The Challenge's most renowned villains: Beth Stolarczyk. And who can forget the many yee-haws of country musician/cowboy Jon Brennan? While it falls short of being a top fiver, L.A. was certainly one for the reality record books.

The location may have been beautiful, but with this season's seven inhabiting a pimped out palace on a private island, they were often trapped with very few options for exploring. (The cast's main method of transportation was a boat, which sounded all sorts of cool until it wasn't.) Seclusion aside, Marie Roda — who went on to compete in five season of The Challenge — was the only true standout in a cast that just didn't pop. Also, was Laura/Trey one of the show's most annoying showmances ever?

We've never seen a hot tub get worked as hard as the one from The Real World: Las Vegas. But sexual hijinks aside, this season packed all sorts of crazy into its 30-minute episodes. From Trishelle and Steven's pregnancy scare, to the  flying fork fiasco that almost got Brynn booted, the Sin City season never let its foot off the gas for a single second. Alton and Irulan's rocky romance was quite a trip, too. Overall, Las Vegas not only raised the bar for The Real World, but upped the game for other reality TV franchises, too.

The divided Boston house's heaps of tears served up hours of entertainment. Typical of the series' early years, these personalities were strong AF. There was Montana, the atheist and feminist fired from working at an after school program; 19-year-old Elka, who was grieving the loss of her mother; Genesis, a lesbian with a troubled past; and Sean Duffy, a conservative, aspiring lawyer who went on to become a member of Congress. While the house fought long and hard with each other — from "Genesisms," and a certain "bitch fight" to the many verbal spats between Kameelah and Sean — this cast had it out for each other... right until the flood of emotion that hit them on their way out. Saddest. Finale. Ever.

What's worse: a season that's truly abhorrent or one that's a total snoozefest? Denver, sadly, was the latter. Sure, there was the Jenn/Alex/Colie love triangle and the occasional meltdown from Brooke — whose comment about a low-income neighborhood led to some heated racial debate — but those teeny sparks couldn't save the season from itself. The fact that there's not that much to comment on speaks volumes to Denver's lack of legacy.

First to the party? Why not strip down to your birthday suit and jump in the pool? That's what Ruthie and Teck did on Day 1 of The Real World: Hawaii. (Meeting your new roommates naked? Bold choice!) And the season didn't stop from there. Ruthie's drinking habits and eventual intervention was a major focus, as was the house showmance between Colin and Amaya (the latter of whom deserved WAY better!). Also: best house and location? It's got our vote.

The slap heard 'round the world is just one of the reasons why Seattle lands in our Top 3. Yes, Stephen and Irene's epic throwdown was a shock to the system, but the season was full of rollercoaster moments. Who can forget David's tumultuous relationship with the show's casting director Kira (which cost the woman her job), its wow-worthy vacation destination (Nepal) and the horrific news of Lindsey's friend committing suicide? It was an emotional and riveting watch throughout, with tons of likable characters in a rad, yet very drizzly, new city.

Another heavily manipulated season, Bad Blood started with seven roommates who each had a former enemy (friend, co-worker, sister, what have you) move into the house to more or less ruin their lives. Not only were 14 cast members far too much to follow, but you almost had to pity the poor souls who were suckered into this debacle. Sure, ish happens when one signs up for the gauntlet that is reality TV, but akin to Ex-Plosion, this setup just felt all sorts of gross. Instead of focusing on the present and future, the cast members were forced to reckon with their petty pasts, which wasn't nearly as meaningful or enticing. Unsurprisingly, this was the last season to air on MTV.

It was the season that started it all. The Real World: New York was the ultimate social experiment and a feat that had never been done before on television. The personalities were strong, causing many of the roommates to butt heads over race-related issues. (The season filmed during the L.A. riots of 1992). Other highlights included Julie's friendship with homeless woman Darlene, Norman sharing stories of his sexuality, and Heather almost getting snatched by the cops for alleged assault. The New York season was the first of its kind and a total pioneer for the reality genre that was to come. And only one other season can possibly top it.

Reality TV doesn't get any more real than the story of Pedro Zamora, who shared his fight against AIDS with the world. Not only did Zamora's story hit hard (he ultimately passed away just hours after the finale aired), but the season also broke ground by airing the first-ever same-sex commitment ceremony on TV, between Zamora and his partner, Sean Sasser. Bike messenger Puck became infamous after his inconsiderate and borderline abusive behavior led to his early eviction from the house. (Lest we forget the peanut butter-jar incident!) Plus, Judd and Pam's budding relationship in the house led to the couple's marriage in 2001. San Francisco was not only a jam-packed season, but thanks to Zamora, it was a real game-changer for the real world outside of The Real World.