The Best MTV Original Shows

Updated March 1, 2021 21.0k votes 2.3k voters 58.0k views50 items

List RulesPast and present original MTV series

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?

Several of MTV's best original shows could, arguably, be listed among the best TV shows of recent memory -- depending on how you define that, of course. TV fans, if you love reality television shows, check out these lists of the best reality competition shows and reality dramas, and paranormal reality shows ever.

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Daria
Tracy Grandstaff, Wendy Hoopes
Premiered: 1997
Genres (Tv): Animation, Sitcom, Comedy, Animated series
Daria is an American animated television series created by Glenn Eichler and Susie Lewis Lynn... more
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The Real World
Jamie Chung, Steven Hill
Premiered: 1992
Genres (Tv): Reality television
The Real World (MTV, 1992) is an American reality television program inspired by the 1973 PBS... more
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MTV Unplugged
Jules Shear
Premiered: 1989
Genres (Tv): Music
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic... more
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Jackass
Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera
Premiered: 2000
Genres (Tv): Action/Adventure, Adventure film, Comedy, Action, Reality television
Jackass is an American reality series, originally shown on MTV from 2000 to 2002, featuring... more
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Beavis and Butt-head
Mike Judge, Dale Revo
Premiered: 1992
Genres (Tv): Music video, Animation, Satire, Animated cartoon, Comedy
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated sitcom created and designed by Mike Judge. The... more
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Celebrity Deathmatch
Maurice Schlafer, Len Maxwell
Premiered: 1998
Genres (Tv): Animation, Satire, Sports film, Clay animation
Celebrity Deathmatch was a claymation television show that depicted celebrities against each... more
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True Life
Serena Altschul
Premiered: 1998
Genres (Tv): Documentary, Reality television
True Life (MTV, 1998) is an American documentary television series. Each episode follows a... more
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MTV Cribs
Su-chin Pak
Premiered: 2000
Genres (Tv): Reality television
MTV Cribs and CMT Cribs, depending on which channel it airs, is a franchise reality television... more
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Pimp My Ride
Xzibit, Buck
Premiered: 2004
Genres (Tv): Automotive, Reality television
Pimp My Ride is a TV show produced by MTV and hosted by rapper Xzibit. Each episode consists... more
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Punk'd
Ashton Kutcher, Brian Fitzpatrick
Premiered: 2003
Genres (Tv): Reality television
Punk'd is an American hidden camera-practical joke reality television series that first aired... more
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Room Raiders
Room Raiders is a "dating/reality" series on MTV. The show features three men or women who has... more
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Jersey Shore
Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Vinny Guadagnino
Premiered: 2009
Genres (Tv): Reality
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The Challenge
T.J. Lavin, Johnny 'Bananas' Devenanzio
Premiered: 1998
Genres (Tv): Game show, Reality television
The Challenge is a reality game show on MTV that is spun off from the network's two reality... more
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Catfish: The TV Show
Yaniv Schulman, Max Joseph
Premiered: 2012
Genres (Tv): Reality television
Catfish: The TV Show is an American reality-based docu-series television series airing on MTV... more
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TRL
Hilarie Burton, Susie Castillo
Premiered: 1998
Genres (Tv): Music video, Talk show
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was... more
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Singled Out
Carmen Electra
Premiered: 1995
Genres (Tv): Game show, Dating
Singled Out is a game show that ran on MTV from 1995 to 1998. Each episode featured a group of... more
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Next
Lorin Eric Salm, Michael McKinley
Premiered: 2005
Genres (Tv): Dating, Reality television
Next is a dating game show produced by Kallissa Productions which ran on MTV from 2005–2008.... more
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Awkward.
Ashley Rickards, Beau Mirchoff
Premiered: 2011
Genres (Tv): Teen drama, Comedy-drama
Awkward (MTV, 2011) is an American teen comedy series created by Lauren Iungerich. After being... more
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Viva La Bam
Bam Margera, Vincent Margera
Premiered: 2003
Genres (Tv): Comedy, Reality television
Viva La Bam is an American reality television series that stars Bam Margera and his friends... more
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Ridiculousness
Sterling Brim, Chanel West Coast
Premiered: 2011
Genres (Tv): Comedy, Reality television
Ridiculousness is an American comedy clip show that began airing on August 29, 2011. On... more
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Rob & Big
Julie Bennett, Greg Burson
Premiered: 2006
Genres (Tv): Comedy, Reality television
Rob & Big is an American reality television series that follows the lives of professional... more
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The Osbournes
Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne
Premiered: 2002
Genres (Tv): Reality television
The Osbournes (MTV, 2002) is an American reality television program. It features the domestic... more
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Made
Indashio, Alicia Marie
Premiered: 2002
Genres (Tv): Reality television
MTV's MADE is a self-improvement reality television series broadcast on MTV. The series... more

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Parental Control
Shawn Turner, Anant A.J. Jiemjitpolchai
Premiered: 2005
Genres (Tv): Dating, Reality television
Parental Control is a heavily scripted "pseudo-reality" program produced by MTV. The two... more
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Fear Factor
Ludacris, Mark Beech
Premiered: 2017
Genres (Tv): Reality, Gameshow
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MTV Unplugged

Pimp My Ride

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