The best MTV original shows include reality shows, music series, comedies, and dramas, as well as animated series. MTV started out as "Music Television" in 1981, but over the years, the programming has greatly expanded. These days, it's tough to find an actual music show on the network. That being said, viewers have no doubt enjoyed a lot of MTV's original shows. Which one is the best? That's for you to decide, with your votes. Also, if you have a personal favorite original MTV series (past or present) that isn't listed here, feel free to add it.
Some of the most popular MTV original programs are, not surprisingly, reality shows. Among them: The wildly popular Jersey Shore, which will conclude after six seasons. This show made household names out of it's stars, especially Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Michael "The Situation" Sorrentino and Jennifer "JWoww" Farley. A spinoff, 'Snooki & JWoww,' began airing in June of 2012 as well.
Other well-known current MTV original shows include Teen Mom, 16 and Pregnant, Made and True Life. MTV also has a hit on its hands with the original drama series Teen Wolf, starring Tyler Posey as Scott McCall, a full-time high school student/werewolf.
Animated original MTV programming are also extremely popular. Examples, you say? How about the animated TV series Beavis and Butt-head (which returned with new episodes in 2011) or the spinoff Daria, which aired for five seasons?
JackassJohnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Brandon DiCamillo Jackass is an American reality series, originally shown on MTV from 2000 to 2002, featuring people performing various dangerous, crude, self-injuring stunts and pranks. The show served as a ...more
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MTV CribsSu-chin Pak MTV Cribs and CMT Cribs, depending on which channel it airs, is a franchise reality television program that originated on the MTV Networks' MTV. It later aired on its CMT channel that features ...more
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Real WorldJamie Chung, Steven Hill, Landon Lueck The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS ...more
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Celebrity DeathmatchMaurice Schlafer, Len Maxwell, Mills Lane Celebrity Deathmatch was a claymation television show that depicted celebrities against each other in a wrestling ring, almost always ending in the loser's gruesome death. It was known for its ...more
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Beavis and Butt-headMike Judge, Dale Revo, Tracy Grandstaff Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated sitcom created and designed by Mike Judge. The series originated from "Frog Baseball", a 1992 short film by Judge originally aired on ...more
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Punk'dAshton Kutcher, Brian Fitzpatrick, Andrew Santino Punk'd is an American hidden camera-practical joke reality television series that first aired on MTV in 2003 and was created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg, and produced and hosted by ...more
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MTV UnpluggedJules Shear MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations ...more
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Jersey ShoreRonnie Ortiz-Magro, Vinny Guadagnino, Jenni 'Jwoww' Farley Jersey Shore is an American reality television series which ran on MTV from December 3, 2009 to December 20, 2012 in the United States. The series follows the lives of eight housemates spending ...more
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True LifeSerena Altschul True Life is an American documentary television series that has been airing on MTV since March 31, 1998. Each episode follows a particular topic, such as heroin addiction as in the first episode ...more
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TRLHilarie Burton, Susie Castillo, Nick Zano Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continued to concentrate on reality-based ...more
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DariaTracy Grandstaff, Wendy Hoopes, Julian Rebolledo Daria is an American animated television series created by Glenn Eichler and Susie Lewis Lynn for MTV. The series focuses on Daria Morgendorffer, a smart, acerbic, and somewhat misanthropic ...more
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The OsbournesOzzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne, Jack Osbourne The Osbournes is an American reality television program featuring the domestic life of heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne and his family. The series premiered on MTV on March 5, 2002, and in its ...more
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Samantha Dillinger added Viva La BamBam Margera, Vincent Margera, Ryan Dunn Viva La Bam is an American reality television series that stars Bam Margera and his friends and family. The show was a spin-off from MTV's Jackass, in which Margera and most of the main cast had ...more
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Pimp My RideXzibit, Buck Pimp My Ride is a TV show produced by MTV and hosted by rapper Xzibit. Each episode consists of taking one car in poor condition and restoring it, as well as customizing it. The original ...more
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Awkward.Ashley Rickards, Beau Mirchoff, Jillian Rose Reed Awkward is an American teen comedy series created by Lauren Iungerich for MTV. The show's central character is Jenna Hamilton, a Palos Verdes, California, teenager who struggles with her ...more
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The ChallengeT.J. Lavin, Johnny 'Bananas' Devenanzio, Aneesa Ferreira The Challenge is a reality game show on MTV that is spun off from the network's two reality shows, The Real World and the now cancelled Road Rules. It features alumni from these two shows, in ...more
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Made MTV's MADE is a self-improvement reality television series broadcast on MTV. The series follows teens who have a goal and want to be "made" into things like singers, athletes, dancers, ...more
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Ferry73 added Catfish: The TV ShowYaniv Schulman, Max Joseph, Bettina Kenney Catfish: The TV Show is an American reality-based docu-series television series airing on MTV about the truths and lies of online dating. The series is based on the 2010 film Catfish and is ...more
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Alaina Hillman added RidiculousnessSterling Brim, Chanel West Coast, Rob Dyrdek Ridiculousness is an American comedy clip show that began airing on August 29, 2011. On television, the show is rated TV-14 due to language and violence, hosted by Rob Dyrdek and co-hosted by ...more
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Parental Control Parental Control is a heavily scripted "pseudo-reality" program produced by MTV. The two directors, Brendon Carter and Bruce Klassen, have also created other MTV shows. In Asia, this ...more
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ryanjjjj8 added Rob & BigJulie Bennett, Greg Burson, Kathy Garver Rob & Big is an American reality television series that follows the lives of professional skateboarder/actor/producer Rob Dyrdek and his best friend and bodyguard Christopher "Big ...more
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killakane94 added Silent LibraryZero Kazama Silent Library is an Europe television game show which aired on MTV and MuchMusic. The series is based on one of the segments in the popular Japanese variety show Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya ...more
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NextLorin Eric Salm, Michael McKinley, Jamieson Hill Next is a dating game show produced by Kallissa Productions which ran on MTV from 2005–2008.
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Room RaidersTim-Ryan O'Kane, Tom Oberdick, Jesse Wolter Room Raiders is a "dating/reality" series on MTV.
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Singled OutCarmen Electra Singled Out is a game show that ran on MTV from 1995 to 1998. Each episode featured a group of 50 men and a group of 50 women competing for a date with one main contestant of the opposite sex. ...more
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Scott Zito added Remote ControlAdam Sandler, Denis Leary, Colin Quinn Remote Control is a TV game show that ran on MTV for five seasons from 1987 until 1990. It was MTV's first original non-musical program. New episodes were made for first-run syndication from ...more
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Teen WolfTyler Posey, Dylan O'Brien, Holland Roden Teen Wolf is an American television series developed by Jeff Davis for MTV. It is loosely based on the 1985 film of the same name, and stars Tyler Posey as a teenager named Scott, who is bitten ...more
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Headbangers BallAdam Curry Headbangers Ball was a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV, MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Rocks, MTV Adria, MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV ...more
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Teen Mom Teen Mom, renamed Teen Mom OG in the fifth season, is an American reality television series that premiered on December 8, 2009 on MTV. Developed as the first spin-off of 16 and Pregnant, it ...more
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Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy FactoryRob Dyrdek, Chris Pfaff, Chanel West Coast Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory is an American reality television series that airs on MTV and debut on February 8, 2009. The factory is a space for Dyrdek to manage two aspects of his life, ...more
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America's Best Dance CrewMario Lopez, Layla Kayleigh, JC Chasez America's Best Dance Crew, often abbreviated as ABDC, is an American competitive dance reality television series that features both national and international dance crews. The show was produced ...more
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16 and PregnantDrew Pinsky, Weston Gosa Jr., Weston Gosa 16 and Pregnant is an American reality television series that debuted June 11, 2009, on MTV. It follows the stories of pregnant teenage girls in high school dealing with the hardships of teenage ...more
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groucho9395 added Aeon FluxDenise Poirier, John Rafter Lee, Julia Fletcher Æon Flux is an avant-garde science fiction animated television series that aired on MTV in various forms throughout the 1990s, with film, comic book, and video game adaptations following ...more
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killakane94 added Yo MommaSam Sarpong Yo Momma is an American television show based upon insulting another's mother for fun. Creators, executive producers and hosts are Wilmer Valderrama, along with Sam Sarpong, Jason Everhart and ...more
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Faking ItGregg Sulkin, Katie Stevens, Michael J. Willett Faking It is an American single-camera romantic comedy series that premiered on MTV on April 22, 2014. The series was created by Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov. Carter Covington developed the ...more
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Are You the One?
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Liquid TelevisionAnne Ashbey, Richard Blair, Gordon Clark Liquid Television is an animation showcase that appeared on MTV. The first season of Liquid Television also aired on BBC Two in co-production with MTV. Ultimately, MTV commissioned three seasons ...more
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Dave_7672 added Loveline Loveline is a syndicated radio call-in program in North America, offering medical and relationship advice to listeners, often with the assistance of guests, typically actors and musicians. Its ...more
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CapoAssKickerMikey95 added The Andy Milonakis ShowAndy Milonakis, Tracey Moore Andy Milonakis on My Damn Channel is a web show that features the American/Greek comedian, writer, actor and rapper Andy Milonakis. Although he is in his 30s, Milonakis still has the appearance ...more
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Run's HouseJoseph Simmons, Justine Simmons, Vanessa Simmons Run's House is an American reality television series that debuted on October 13, 2005. The series chronicles the family life of former Run–D.M.C. rapper and hip-hop music pioneer Joseph Simmons, ...more
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Dave_7672 added WWE HeatDwayne Johnson WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment. Originally produced under the World Wrestling Federation banner, it aired on USA Network, MTV ...more
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Dave_7672 added UndressedMax Greenfield, Christina Hendricks, Sarah Lancaster Undressed is an American anthology series that aired on MTV from July 26, 1999 to September 5, 2002. The series was created and executive produced by British director Roland Joffé.
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Stargirl803 added Geordie Shore Geordie Shore is a British reality television series broadcast on MTV. Based in Newcastle upon Tyne, it was first broadcast on 24 May 2011, and is the British spin-off of the American show ...more
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Jason Edwin Wilcox added The MaxxTony Fucile, Barry Stigler, Amy Danles The Maxx is an American comic book series created by Sam Kieth and published originally monthly by Image Comics, then was collected in trade paperback collections from DC Comic's Wildstorm ...more
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Danny Sullivan added The Jon Stewart ShowJon Stewart, Howard Feller The Jon Stewart Show is a late night talk show hosted by comedian Jon Stewart. The program premiered on MTV in 1993 as a thirty-minute daily program. At the end of its first season, MTV's ...more
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Danny Sullivan added The StateKevin Allison, Michael Ian Black, Robert Ben Garant The State is a half-hour sketch-comedy television show, originally broadcast in the USA on MTV between December 17, 1993, and July 1, 1995. The show combined bizarre characters and scenarios to ...more
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Jason Edwin Wilcox added The HeadGordon Barnett, Jason Candler, Patricia Bibby The Head began as an ongoing series that originally ran under the title MTV's Oddities, on MTV. It has begun airing on MTV2 in August 2009. It was released on DVD on December 15, 2009.
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DanielSalins added Clone HighWill Forte, Phil Lord, Michael McDonald Clone High is an Canadian–American animated television series created by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Bill Lawrence. The comedy centers on a high school populated by clones of famous ...more
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Jason Edwin Wilcox added The Shannara ChroniclesAustin Butler, Poppy Drayton, Ivana Baquero The Shannara Chronicles (MTV, 2016) is an American fantasy drama television series adapted from the fantasy novels by Terry Brooks, primarily The Elfstones of Shannara. As the series opens, ...more
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120 Minutes 120 Minutes is a show on MTV Two that was broadcast nightly at 1am. In the tradition of the US show of the same name, it showcased music videos from "the newest, most innovative acts in ...more
