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MTV’s Attempt to Regain Relevancy With ‘Floribama Shore’

Credit-MTV/LunaPic

Recently, MTV debuted a new reality series called Floribama Shore. In the show, the network attempts to catch lightening in a bottle once again. Floribama Shore takes the same premise as Jersey Shore and simply moves it down to the Gulf Coast.

While it may sound like a cheap rip-off, the show has surprisingly redeeming qualities. It is entertaining and fun to watch. As it turns out, throwing strangers in their mid-twenties into a house together makes for some great drama.

Now, I am not old enough to remember the early days of the Real World, but the show is reminiscent of the first couple seasons of Jersey Shore. Before they became familiar to us, the cast of Jersey Shore were a bunch of unknowns. They were unpredictable, loose cannons always looking to get rowdy.  Floribama Shore has that same quality.

The usual complaint with reality shows is their scripted nature. While there is obviously some nudging by the producers to create drama, most of Floribama Shore feels raw and organic. Insecurity and jealousy-fueled arguments quickly escalate and explode on camera for our viewing pleasure.

What makes Floribama Shore interesting is the unfamiliarity between cast members. They are still trying to get a feel for each other’s personalities and find their place in the house. Each hails from a different upbringing and, thus, each approaches every situation differently.

In one instance, there is some jawing between the cast and two locals outside of a bar. When fists begin to fly, all of the cast runs to back up their housemate. All except one– Jeremiah, who stands as far away from the fight as possible.

Ironically, Jeremiah is the most physically imposing guy in the house. But when it comes time to put his muscles to use, he stays behind. Candace, his fellow housemate, reflects on the situation. “Jeremiah, you know, he’s home-schooled…he ain’t used to hood (stuff) like this”.

Like most reality shows, Floribama Shore is admittedly a guilty pleasure. While it can be trashy at times, there are worse ways you can spend 60 minutes of your time. If you are looking for an hour of mindless entertainment, Floribama Shore is where it’s at.

Written By

Division III baseball alum (McDaniel College), founder of Joker Mag, and author of The Underdog Mentality: Sports Stories That Will Change How You See the Game (And Yourself). Since launching in November 2017, my stories have been featured on platforms such as FOX Sports, SB Nation, and The Sporting News, reaching over 1.5 million readers worldwide. The seed was planted way back in 7th grade when I got cut from the baseball team. Instead of giving up, I found hope and inspiration in stories of undersized athletes who defied expectations. I ultimately played baseball through college, earning Honorable Mention on the All-Centennial Conference team in my senior season. Today, my mission is simple: To share stories that give people the same feeling I felt when I was that undersized ballplayer searching for hope, inspiration, and evidence that my dream was possible. Like my mom always told me, you can do anything you set your mind to. Sometimes we just need a little extra push. And that’s why I’m so passionate about sharing these stories with the world.

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