The Best MTV TV Shows

Updated January 14, 2021 56.9k votes 7.0k voters 260.4k views58 items

List RulesVote up the best original TV shows that have ever debuted on MTV.

MTV used to be all about the music, but now it's turned into a reality television haven. Back in the day, music videos and Beavis and Butt-Head reigned supreme. That was before Teen Mom and MTV Cribs took over the scene, and now, there are tons of awesomely trashy reality show options to choose from. This list of the top current and canceled MTV TV shows includes the date when each show first aired, as well as which actors starred in the show. The best MTV series of all time include the most viewed shows on MTV, as this list covers the entire history of the network. This list is sorted by popularity, so the shows with the most votes are at the top of the list.

What are the best MTV shows? Jersey Shore might top your list. This reality TV series follows a zany cast of New Jersey natives who truly know how to party. Perhaps My Super Sweet 16 is more your style - rich kids throwing themselves million-dollar birthday parties never fails to entertain. If you're in the mood for a true reality check, try watching 16 and Pregnant.

Vote up the best MTV shows below, and be sure to let us know what you think in the comment section.

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Beavis and Butt-head
Mike Judge, Dale Revo
Premiered: 1992
More Beavis and Butt-head
Beavis And Butt-Head Fan Theories That Will Completely Change How You Remember MTV In The '90s#54 of 297 The Best Duos of All Time
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1,533
647
Celebrity Deathmatch
Maurice Schlafer, Len Maxwell
Premiered: 1998
More Celebrity Deathmatch
The Best Celebrity Deathmatches Of All Time#6 of 46 The Most Crude and Classic '90s Adult Cartoons
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1,492
703
Daria
Tracy Grandstaff, Wendy Hoopes
Premiered: 1997
More Daria
Reasons Why Daria Is Actually Unlikeable And People Should Stop Glorifying Her#138 of 648 The Best Cartoons of All Time
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1,430
689
Jackass
Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera
Premiered: 2000
More Jackass
The Gnarliest, Most Ingeniously Stupid Jackass Stunts Ever Attempted#437 of 508 The Best TV Theme Songs of All Time
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Punk'd
Ashton Kutcher, Brian Fitzpatrick
Premiered: 2003
More Punk'd
#234 of 265 The Best Television Shows of the 2000s#23 of 46 The Best Fox Reality TV Shows
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868
634
Viva La Bam
Bam Margera, Vincent Margera
Premiered: 2003
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984
536
MTV Unplugged
Jules Shear
Premiered: 1989
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850
712
The Real World
Jamie Chung, Steven Hill
Premiered: 1992
More The Real World
Ranking The Best Seasons of 'MTV Real World'#25 of 63 The Best Reality Dramas
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790
667
The Osbournes
Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne
Premiered: 2002
More The Osbournes
The Wildest Behind-The-Scenes Stories From 'The Osbournes'#343 of 538 TV Shows Canceled Before Their Time
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Rob & Big
Julie Bennett, Greg Burson
Premiered: 2006
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938
771
Pimp My Ride
Xzibit, Buck
Premiered: 2004
More
The Most Ridiculous Upgrades That Ever Happened On Pimp My Ride#22 of 74 The Best Shows You Watched After School in the 2000s
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TRL
Hilarie Burton, Susie Castillo
Premiered: 1998
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723
Ridiculousness
Sterling Brim, Chanel West Coast
Premiered: 2011
More Ridiculousness
#20 of 50 The Best MTV Original Shows#40 of 85 The Funniest Shows To Watch When You're Drunk

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True Life
Serena Altschul
Premiered: 1998
15
611
451
Headbangers Ball
Adam Curry
Premiered: 1987
16
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MTV Cribs
Su-chin Pak
Premiered: 2000
17
543
487
Catfish: The TV Show
Yaniv Schulman, Max Joseph
Premiered: 2012
18
588
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Singled Out
Carmen Electra
Premiered: 1995
More Singled Out
#52 of 98 The Best Dating Reality Shows#72 of 96 The Greatest Game Shows of All Time
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714
637
Room Raiders
More Room Raiders
Behind-The-Scenes Stories From 'Room Raiders' The Producers Tried To Keep Secret#26 of 64 The Worst Dating Shows
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Aeon Flux
Denise Poirier, John Rafter Lee
Premiered: 1991
More Aeon Flux
#106 of 278 The Best Sci-Fi Television Series Of All Time#113 of 144 The Best TV Spinoffs
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673
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Parental Control
Shawn Turner, Anant A.J. Jiemjitpolchai
Premiered: 2005
More Parental Control
Behind-The-Scenes Stories From The Set Of 'Parental Control'The Most Inappropriate Things Anyone Said On MTV's Parental Control
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The Challenge
T.J. Lavin, Johnny 'Bananas' Devenanzio
Premiered: 1998
More The Challenge
MTV 'The Challenge' Drinking Game#2 of 117 The Best Reality Competition Series
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Jersey Shore
Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Vinny Guadagnino
Premiered: 2009
More Jersey Shore
Little Known Behind-The-Scenes Stories From 'Jersey Shore'#3 of 196 The Dumbest Reality Shows of All Time

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Awkward.
Ashley Rickards, Beau Mirchoff
Premiered: 2011
More Awkward.
#36 of 220 The Greatest TV Shows for Women#374 of 449 The Funniest TV Shows of All Time
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Wildboyz
Steve-O, Chris Pontius
Premiered: 2003

MTV Unplugged

Pimp My Ride