The Real World

"The Real World" may be coming to my backyard, which raises the possibility of a background shot during the credits of me walking Hyatt. I can only assume MTV will call the show "Real World: Detroit" and spark debate over whether the network should use the more accurate "Real World: Royal Oak." Of course Royal Oak is the MTV version (young white people with leisure time) of Detroit, but wouldn't MTV create its own version of Detroit regardless of where they filmed? How different would "Real World: Detroit" be if filmed in Corktown vs. Royal Oak or Ferndale? First off, the neighborhood of the house doesn't figure all that prominently in the show's plotlines. But beyond that, aren't Real World locations generic backdrops? In terms of the show's content, conflicts, and affect, (all of which are constructed indoors) how does the fleeting shot of the Liberty Bell or the beach or the Statue of Liberty matter? What if location *were* a living, breathing entity on the show? Then I'd be tempted to get cable and watch "Real World Detroit."