With all the new popular dating shows like The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise, millions of viewers everywhere are obsessing over the latest picture-perfect couple. Everyone is a sucker for a good love story, but it makes me miss the good ole days of MTV's shows like Parental Control and Next. Because no matter how much of a trainwreck your love life was, you could always count on MTV to make you feel like someone else has it worse than you. However, there are some valuable lessons we can take away from these shows that we just simply do not get from today's modern romance stories.
1. Sharing those weird characteristics and embarrassing stories on the first date is a good idea
You may think that looks aren't everything, and what is on the inside is what counts, but the show Next will prove you wrong. Next, taught us all that it is socially acceptable to judge people solely off of looks, and it's ok if they have a terrible personality, as long as they look good. We were advised to share our inner-most secrets and odd quirks because in the end it may work towards our favor. Who knew that telling a girl you peed on your friend could result in a second date?! I guess i've been doing it wrong this whole time!
2. Raiding someone's room can be a great way to judge and see if they are the one
You may have never met the person, but you don't need too! Room Raiders showed us that you can find all you need to know just from looking in their room. I mean clearly the material items someone owns are key to what kind of person they are. Young Zac Efron even taught us that our significant other needs to have a strong bed frame, and the importance of always being ready for a first date to begin by your room being searched. So, make sure those stuffed animals and awkward middle school photos are locked away, because there is a high chance that at any moment you could find Mr. Right, right in your childhood room!
3. If your parents hate your bf/gf they may hold a casting call to find a replacement
This MTV show gave us not only dating advice, but some great parenting tips as well! The show Parental Control made it ok for parents to do something if they did not like their child's bf/gf. Casting calls are a great way to survey the potentials in the community, and gave parents a chance to arrange who they want their kid to date, every teenager's dream right?! Not only do your parents get to choose a suitor for you, but even better they get to watch you on your date, while sitting next to your current bf/gf, the person they hate! It really is a win-win all around! However, at the end of the dates the teenager got to choose who they wanted to date, and after seeing them go on dates and kiss other people, the current partner was still willing to take them back. I mean it's cool if their parents hate me, and he may go out and kiss other girls, but as long as i'm his official girlfriend at the end of the day then it's all good.
4. Before dating you, they should first go on a date with your Mom
The show Date My Mom, taught us that it doesn't necessarily matter what we are like as an individual, as long as our Mom's are cool we don't need to worry about being single. In this show, one person would go on dates with three different moms. and depending on what he/she thought of the Mom, they would then decide if they wanted to date her daughter. This totally eliminates the nerves of a first date, because your Mom has it covered for you! A mother and her child are so similar that they are pretty much the same person, so it makes since that you would be judged by how your Mom acts on a date. Parental approval is key in a relationship, so we learned that you should never date someone, unless your Mom is dating them as well.
5. If a friend offers to set you up on a blind date, chances are they're plotting to destroy you
The all-time classic, Disaster Date taught us all a very important lesson on never trusting your friends. You may think that your pal would sympathize with you and your singleness, but think again. What better way to encourage your friend to get back out there then setting them up with an actor who is portraying every quality you cannot stand. We also learned from the show that the longer you put up with someone who treats you poorly, the more money you could make! So even if your date is clearly a terrible person, might as well stick it out because money will make it all worth it.
As much as I am a sucker for today's dating shows, I still reminisce on the old MTV days and often wish I could relive the glory days of coming home from middle school and watching reruns of Pimp My Ride or My Super Sweet Sixteen. Even though many of us have moved on from those days, it is important to remember that time in our life, and the important lessons that only MTV can teach us.
