The Surreal Life - What We Know So Far
For many, the 1990s and 2000s combined to make the perfect hotbed of reality TV. Channels like MTV showed us the ins-and-outs of peoples' (supposedly, but often not really) authentic, unscripted lives. Shows like MTV's "The Real World" and "American Idol" had viewers glued to the screen, waiting to see what would happen next.
One classic series of this era was "The Surreal Life," a fairly standard kind of reality show based on the "Real World" formula that ran from 2003 to 2006. The only twist is that all of the contestants were famous celebrities living together in Glen Campbell's mansion. Like many other reality shows of that era, however, it was cancelled.
Years later, "The Surreal Life" is receiving a bit of a revival. According to Deadline, VH1 is planning a full reboot for the series. Not much is known about "The Surreal Life" reboot when it comes to the release date and plot. However, VH1 has been extremely forthcoming in regards to the stars we'll get to see when it releases. With that in mind, here is what we know so far about this upcoming reboot.
When will the Surreal Life reboot release?
Unfortunately, VH1 has not revealed an official release date for the upcoming reboot of "The Surreal Life." However, the network has revealed which stars are set to appear throughout this season. This means that the show's creators likely have the filming schedule set, assuming they have not started already. The only problem is that this gives us no solid clues to project an estimated release date at this current time.
Based on the show's announcement, however, it's fair to assume that "The Surreal Life" reboot will be released sometime within the next year. Securing even a single celebrity for a recurring appearance on a reality show can be a huge endeavor, and often happens at the last minute (via Mentalfloss). As a result, it's likely that shooting will happen sooner, rather than later because "The Surreal Life" already has its entire cast in the bag.
Who will be in the cast for the Surreal Life?
Speaking of the cast, "The Surreal Life" was always unique in how it collected a wide variety of different famous names and stuck them all into one limited space. "The Surreal Life" reboot is no different. This season will see the likes of Dennis Rodman, August Alsina, Tamar Braxton, Frankie Muniz, Kim Coles, CJ Perry, Manny Mua, and Stormy Daniels all joining together to try and stir up some classic reality TV drama.
A few of the major outliers in this group include Mua and Daniels, who both rose to prominence through alternative avenues. Mua is a professional YouTuber and makeup entrepreneur, while Daniels is a pornographic actress who became involved in a scandal in 2018 regarding her previous alleged affair with former President Donald Trump (via BBC).
The rest of the cast, with the exception of professional wrestler CJ Perry, all rose to fame through traditional showbiz routes (i.e. musicians, actors, and comedians). With this eclectic mix of talent, there are sure to be some wild events in store for "The Surreal Life."
What is the plot of the Surreal Life?
As a standard reality show, "The Surreal Life" doesn't have a "plot" in the traditional sense. Sure, events happen. There's definitely conflict, but there isn't always a structured beginning, middle, and end (though producers often try to establish some sense of progression). The plot, so to speak, is that these eight very different celebrities are forced to live and work together for a limited amount of time.
The exact details of what will occur in "The Surreal Life" reboot have yet to be revealed. On top of that, the antics of the show's stars often change from episode to episode. As a result, most (if not all) of the fun will be saved for when "The Surreal Life" finally releases. Until then, fans of the series will have to wait to find out what kind of antics the stars will get involved with while living together.