'Real World': KellyAnne and Cohutta, sitting in a tree...

Well, we have what appears to be the first hookup of the Sydney season, as KellyAnne and Cohutta moved beyond flirting into something physical, which the roommates fear (and producers doubtless hope) could develop into something disastrous. (Take all this with a grain of salt -- it sure did look like they were taking things to the next level, but who can tell with editing, really? Next week we could have earnest KellyAnne in front of the camera professing that they just cuddled and fell asleep together.)

Earlier in the day, KellyAnne received a honkin' bouquet of flowers from Carey, a guy she met at a bar who asked her out. He seemed perfectly nice -- although his fashion sense was a tragic indication that Eurotrash has made it Down Under. (A white wide-pinstripe blazer, a ripped-collar shirt, jeans and white tennis shoes. When did collars become the enemy?) He took KellyAnne to an expensive restaurant on the water, and then later asked if he could kiss her.

Let's just say it -- it's been a pretty lackluster season for "The Real World."  Two of the female roommates are interchangeable, one of the men has had zero screen time, and the biggest dramas have been of the "Well, do you like him or like him like him?" second-grade variety.  But all that changed Wednesday night.  When the history of "The Real World: Sydney" is written, what I'm going to deem the Twister Incident may prove to be the most hilarious thing on the show in a while.

Oh, Dunbar. He was presented first as the fratty hunk of the house in Sydney, admitting in this episode that when at school at Ole Miss he was the type who would fall in love every day with random girls he saw on the way to class. (He reveals this despite his frequent mentions of his girlfriend back home that he's soooo devoted to.)

So how did he manage to alienate two of his gal pal roommates already?

So amid Parisa and KellyAnne fretting over Dunbar, and Isaac meeting a lovely Alicia Keys-lookalike on the streets of Sydney, the real drama on Wednesday's "Real World" was in the fashion choices.

Overalls?  Really?  Please, no.  Please, please no.

To fulfill their goal of getting their pimp on -- their term, mind you -- Cohutta and Dunbar go for a jaunt wearing overalls sans shirts.  Not surprisingly, this is the outing where Isaac, wearing a respectable-by-comparison tracksuit, meets his new ladyfriend Noirin, and Cohutta and Dunbar come up empty. (You could tell it was circling Parisa's mind to barricade them inside the house and spare them the trauma of appearing in public.)

Then, later, KellyAnne is sporting overalls over what looks like a bathing suit as she lazes about the house.  And as petite as KellyAnne is -- it's the curse of the overalls -- they make her look like a sofa.  A half-upholstered sofa, actually, given the bikini-overalls combo.

This troubles me.  Does the "Real World" have any influence anymore on fashion?  One hopes not.

-- Ann Donahue

Whoa, that's gotta be a record -- it's the second week of "The Real World: Sydney," and already two of the contestants have completely morphed into each other.

Shauvon: Long hair, with blond highlights on top, dark underneath. Busty. Lots of eyeliner. Dumped her fiance just before taking off for Australia.

Trisha: Long hair, with blond highlights on top, dark underneath. Busty. Lots of eyeliner. Half-dumped her boyfriend almost immediately after arriving in Australia.

And, as it turns out, both jump right into the Down Under dating scene with some Aussie blokes. (For the record, it was the guys in the house who were the first to make a "Thunder From Down Under" joke.)

And we're back to see what happens when people start getting real -- or at least as real as reality TV allows them to be.

The crew this time is in Sydney, in a ridiculously large home -- even by the standards of this show -- that includes a recording studio, several spa tubs, an aquarium and, in a tribute to the nature of Australia or something, a couple of stuffed tarantulas behind glass.

On to the cast!

Well, for starters -- and I'm just guessing here -- I don't think Jesus would go on "The Real World."

In the season finale, both Davis and Stephen had crises of faith: Davis has a drunken hookup with a guy he met in a bar; Stephen's flirting with Jenn turned into some heavy petting. All well and good and typical "Real World" behavior, except that the two have significant others outside of the house and after their flings, they were overwhelmed with guilt.

It's vacation time! The Denver gang leaves the mountains for Thailand, where they learn to appreciate the cultural shock of Bangkok, the beauty of the outlying islands, and the mind-expanding intensity of traveling to a very different foreign land. Oh, who am I kidding? Brooke thinks she was stung by a jellyfish - and asks her housemates to urinate on her foot, in theory to numb the pain. They do, with a little more enthusiasm than I could stomach immediately after dinner.

Colie, come here. Let me give you a hug. Alex doesn't like you. He doesn't respect you. He's not interested.  You seem like a nice girl - Lord knows, you're the only one on The Real World who's ever been seen reading an actual, honest-to-God book, in hardcover nonetheless. But hooking up with studly Alex is a huge mistake. In the merry-go-round of booty that is The Real World: Denver, the hookup between Colie and Alex may be the most shocking - the player, and the girl who was in therapy because she was so needy as a kid that she couldn't be left home alone. This is not a match made in heaven.

Awwwww group hug! The Real World gang finally finished their Outward Bound work assignment Wednesday night without seriously injuring any of their campers or each other. Hooray! No Med-Evac copters! Of course, one girl -- a survivor of Hurricane Katrina -- hyperventilated and had to be taken down the mountain; Colie thought she had a recurrence of mono and had to be taken down the mountain, and Brooke pitched an Amazing Race-style hissy fit over her fear of heights when forced to rappel down the mountain...but that's pretty much a typical week for the Real Worlders when they encounter nature.

Oh Brooke. Oh Jenn. Please go feed starving children in Africa for a year. Get some perspective. Jenn's cat-and-mouse game with hometown honey Jared blew up most extravagantly, with her illicit Denver liaisons being revealed to him during his visit. Jenn, generally the most likable of the housemates, came off looking especially tawdry as one paramour after another popped up. Whoops.

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'Real World': Instant classic

Let's just say it -- it's been a pretty lackluster season for "The Real World."  Two of the female roommates are interchangeable, one of the men has had zero screen time, and the biggest dramas have been of the "Well, do you like him or like him like him?" second-grade variety.  But all that changed Wednesday night.  When the history of "The Real World: Sydney" is written, what I'm going to deem the Twister Incident may prove to be the most hilarious thing on the show in a while.

Oh, Dunbar. He was presented first as the fratty hunk of the house in Sydney, admitting in this episode that when at school at Ole Miss he was the type who would fall in love every day with random girls he saw on the way to class. (He reveals this despite his frequent mentions of his girlfriend back home that he's soooo devoted to.)

So how did he manage to alienate two of his gal pal roommates already?

So amid Parisa and KellyAnne fretting over Dunbar, and Isaac meeting a lovely Alicia Keys-lookalike on the streets of Sydney, the real drama on Wednesday's "Real World" was in the fashion choices.

Overalls?  Really?  Please, no.  Please, please no.

To fulfill their goal of getting their pimp on -- their term, mind you -- Cohutta and Dunbar go for a jaunt wearing overalls sans shirts.  Not surprisingly, this is the outing where Isaac, wearing a respectable-by-comparison tracksuit, meets his new ladyfriend Noirin, and Cohutta and Dunbar come up empty. (You could tell it was circling Parisa's mind to barricade them inside the house and spare them the trauma of appearing in public.)

Then, later, KellyAnne is sporting overalls over what looks like a bathing suit as she lazes about the house.  And as petite as KellyAnne is -- it's the curse of the overalls -- they make her look like a sofa.  A half-upholstered sofa, actually, given the bikini-overalls combo.

This troubles me.  Does the "Real World" have any influence anymore on fashion?  One hopes not.

-- Ann Donahue

Whoa, that's gotta be a record -- it's the second week of "The Real World: Sydney," and already two of the contestants have completely morphed into each other.

Shauvon: Long hair, with blond highlights on top, dark underneath. Busty. Lots of eyeliner. Dumped her fiance just before taking off for Australia.

Trisha: Long hair, with blond highlights on top, dark underneath. Busty. Lots of eyeliner. Half-dumped her boyfriend almost immediately after arriving in Australia.

And, as it turns out, both jump right into the Down Under dating scene with some Aussie blokes. (For the record, it was the guys in the house who were the first to make a "Thunder From Down Under" joke.)

And we're back to see what happens when people start getting real -- or at least as real as reality TV allows them to be.

The crew this time is in Sydney, in a ridiculously large home -- even by the standards of this show -- that includes a recording studio, several spa tubs, an aquarium and, in a tribute to the nature of Australia or something, a couple of stuffed tarantulas behind glass.

On to the cast!

Well, for starters -- and I'm just guessing here -- I don't think Jesus would go on "The Real World."

In the season finale, both Davis and Stephen had crises of faith: Davis has a drunken hookup with a guy he met in a bar; Stephen's flirting with Jenn turned into some heavy petting. All well and good and typical "Real World" behavior, except that the two have significant others outside of the house and after their flings, they were overwhelmed with guilt.

It's vacation time! The Denver gang leaves the mountains for Thailand, where they learn to appreciate the cultural shock of Bangkok, the beauty of the outlying islands, and the mind-expanding intensity of traveling to a very different foreign land. Oh, who am I kidding? Brooke thinks she was stung by a jellyfish - and asks her housemates to urinate on her foot, in theory to numb the pain. They do, with a little more enthusiasm than I could stomach immediately after dinner.

Colie, come here. Let me give you a hug. Alex doesn't like you. He doesn't respect you. He's not interested.  You seem like a nice girl - Lord knows, you're the only one on The Real World who's ever been seen reading an actual, honest-to-God book, in hardcover nonetheless. But hooking up with studly Alex is a huge mistake. In the merry-go-round of booty that is The Real World: Denver, the hookup between Colie and Alex may be the most shocking - the player, and the girl who was in therapy because she was so needy as a kid that she couldn't be left home alone. This is not a match made in heaven.

Awwwww group hug! The Real World gang finally finished their Outward Bound work assignment Wednesday night without seriously injuring any of their campers or each other. Hooray! No Med-Evac copters! Of course, one girl -- a survivor of Hurricane Katrina -- hyperventilated and had to be taken down the mountain; Colie thought she had a recurrence of mono and had to be taken down the mountain, and Brooke pitched an Amazing Race-style hissy fit over her fear of heights when forced to rappel down the mountain...but that's pretty much a typical week for the Real Worlders when they encounter nature.

Oh Brooke. Oh Jenn. Please go feed starving children in Africa for a year. Get some perspective. Jenn's cat-and-mouse game with hometown honey Jared blew up most extravagantly, with her illicit Denver liaisons being revealed to him during his visit. Jenn, generally the most likable of the housemates, came off looking especially tawdry as one paramour after another popped up. Whoops.

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'Real World': Dunbar goes from hero to zero

Oh, Dunbar. He was presented first as the fratty hunk of the house in Sydney, admitting in this episode that when at school at Ole Miss he was the type who would fall in love every day with random girls he saw on the way to class. (He reveals this despite his frequent mentions of his girlfriend back home that he's soooo devoted to.)

So how did he manage to alienate two of his gal pal roommates already?

So amid Parisa and KellyAnne fretting over Dunbar, and Isaac meeting a lovely Alicia Keys-lookalike on the streets of Sydney, the real drama on Wednesday's "Real World" was in the fashion choices.

Overalls?  Really?  Please, no.  Please, please no.

To fulfill their goal of getting their pimp on -- their term, mind you -- Cohutta and Dunbar go for a jaunt wearing overalls sans shirts.  Not surprisingly, this is the outing where Isaac, wearing a respectable-by-comparison tracksuit, meets his new ladyfriend Noirin, and Cohutta and Dunbar come up empty. (You could tell it was circling Parisa's mind to barricade them inside the house and spare them the trauma of appearing in public.)

Then, later, KellyAnne is sporting overalls over what looks like a bathing suit as she lazes about the house.  And as petite as KellyAnne is -- it's the curse of the overalls -- they make her look like a sofa.  A half-upholstered sofa, actually, given the bikini-overalls combo.

This troubles me.  Does the "Real World" have any influence anymore on fashion?  One hopes not.

-- Ann Donahue

Whoa, that's gotta be a record -- it's the second week of "The Real World: Sydney," and already two of the contestants have completely morphed into each other.

Shauvon: Long hair, with blond highlights on top, dark underneath. Busty. Lots of eyeliner. Dumped her fiance just before taking off for Australia.

Trisha: Long hair, with blond highlights on top, dark underneath. Busty. Lots of eyeliner. Half-dumped her boyfriend almost immediately after arriving in Australia.

And, as it turns out, both jump right into the Down Under dating scene with some Aussie blokes. (For the record, it was the guys in the house who were the first to make a "Thunder From Down Under" joke.)

And we're back to see what happens when people start getting real -- or at least as real as reality TV allows them to be.

The crew this time is in Sydney, in a ridiculously large home -- even by the standards of this show -- that includes a recording studio, several spa tubs, an aquarium and, in a tribute to the nature of Australia or something, a couple of stuffed tarantulas behind glass.

On to the cast!

Well, for starters -- and I'm just guessing here -- I don't think Jesus would go on "The Real World."

In the season finale, both Davis and Stephen had crises of faith: Davis has a drunken hookup with a guy he met in a bar; Stephen's flirting with Jenn turned into some heavy petting. All well and good and typical "Real World" behavior, except that the two have significant others outside of the house and after their flings, they were overwhelmed with guilt.

It's vacation time! The Denver gang leaves the mountains for Thailand, where they learn to appreciate the cultural shock of Bangkok, the beauty of the outlying islands, and the mind-expanding intensity of traveling to a very different foreign land. Oh, who am I kidding? Brooke thinks she was stung by a jellyfish - and asks her housemates to urinate on her foot, in theory to numb the pain. They do, with a little more enthusiasm than I could stomach immediately after dinner.

Colie, come here. Let me give you a hug. Alex doesn't like you. He doesn't respect you. He's not interested.  You seem like a nice girl - Lord knows, you're the only one on The Real World who's ever been seen reading an actual, honest-to-God book, in hardcover nonetheless. But hooking up with studly Alex is a huge mistake. In the merry-go-round of booty that is The Real World: Denver, the hookup between Colie and Alex may be the most shocking - the player, and the girl who was in therapy because she was so needy as a kid that she couldn't be left home alone. This is not a match made in heaven.

Awwwww group hug! The Real World gang finally finished their Outward Bound work assignment Wednesday night without seriously injuring any of their campers or each other. Hooray! No Med-Evac copters! Of course, one girl -- a survivor of Hurricane Katrina -- hyperventilated and had to be taken down the mountain; Colie thought she had a recurrence of mono and had to be taken down the mountain, and Brooke pitched an Amazing Race-style hissy fit over her fear of heights when forced to rappel down the mountain...but that's pretty much a typical week for the Real Worlders when they encounter nature.

Oh Brooke. Oh Jenn. Please go feed starving children in Africa for a year. Get some perspective. Jenn's cat-and-mouse game with hometown honey Jared blew up most extravagantly, with her illicit Denver liaisons being revealed to him during his visit. Jenn, generally the most likable of the housemates, came off looking especially tawdry as one paramour after another popped up. Whoops.

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'Real World': Please tell me overalls aren't coming back

So amid Parisa and KellyAnne fretting over Dunbar, and Isaac meeting a lovely Alicia Keys-lookalike on the streets of Sydney, the real drama on Wednesday's "Real World" was in the fashion choices.

Overalls?  Really?  Please, no.  Please, please no.

To fulfill their goal of getting their pimp on -- their term, mind you -- Cohutta and Dunbar go for a jaunt wearing overalls sans shirts.  Not surprisingly, this is the outing where Isaac, wearing a respectable-by-comparison tracksuit, meets his new ladyfriend Noirin, and Cohutta and Dunbar come up empty. (You could tell it was circling Parisa's mind to barricade them inside the house and spare them the trauma of appearing in public.)

Then, later, KellyAnne is sporting overalls over what looks like a bathing suit as she lazes about the house.  And as petite as KellyAnne is -- it's the curse of the overalls -- they make her look like a sofa.  A half-upholstered sofa, actually, given the bikini-overalls combo.

This troubles me.  Does the "Real World" have any influence anymore on fashion?  One hopes not.

-- Ann Donahue

Whoa, that's gotta be a record -- it's the second week of "The Real World: Sydney," and already two of the contestants have completely morphed into each other.

Shauvon: Long hair, with blond highlights on top, dark underneath. Busty. Lots of eyeliner. Dumped her fiance just before taking off for Australia.

Trisha: Long hair, with blond highlights on top, dark underneath. Busty. Lots of eyeliner. Half-dumped her boyfriend almost immediately after arriving in Australia.

And, as it turns out, both jump right into the Down Under dating scene with some Aussie blokes. (For the record, it was the guys in the house who were the first to make a "Thunder From Down Under" joke.)

And we're back to see what happens when people start getting real -- or at least as real as reality TV allows them to be.

The crew this time is in Sydney, in a ridiculously large home -- even by the standards of this show -- that includes a recording studio, several spa tubs, an aquarium and, in a tribute to the nature of Australia or something, a couple of stuffed tarantulas behind glass.

On to the cast!

Well, for starters -- and I'm just guessing here -- I don't think Jesus would go on "The Real World."

In the season finale, both Davis and Stephen had crises of faith: Davis has a drunken hookup with a guy he met in a bar; Stephen's flirting with Jenn turned into some heavy petting. All well and good and typical "Real World" behavior, except that the two have significant others outside of the house and after their flings, they were overwhelmed with guilt.

It's vacation time! The Denver gang leaves the mountains for Thailand, where they learn to appreciate the cultural shock of Bangkok, the beauty of the outlying islands, and the mind-expanding intensity of traveling to a very different foreign land. Oh, who am I kidding? Brooke thinks she was stung by a jellyfish - and asks her housemates to urinate on her foot, in theory to numb the pain. They do, with a little more enthusiasm than I could stomach immediately after dinner.

Colie, come here. Let me give you a hug. Alex doesn't like you. He doesn't respect you. He's not interested.  You seem like a nice girl - Lord knows, you're the only one on The Real World who's ever been seen reading an actual, honest-to-God book, in hardcover nonetheless. But hooking up with studly Alex is a huge mistake. In the merry-go-round of booty that is The Real World: Denver, the hookup between Colie and Alex may be the most shocking - the player, and the girl who was in therapy because she was so needy as a kid that she couldn't be left home alone. This is not a match made in heaven.

Awwwww group hug! The Real World gang finally finished their Outward Bound work assignment Wednesday night without seriously injuring any of their campers or each other. Hooray! No Med-Evac copters! Of course, one girl -- a survivor of Hurricane Katrina -- hyperventilated and had to be taken down the mountain; Colie thought she had a recurrence of mono and had to be taken down the mountain, and Brooke pitched an Amazing Race-style hissy fit over her fear of heights when forced to rappel down the mountain...but that's pretty much a typical week for the Real Worlders when they encounter nature.

Oh Brooke. Oh Jenn. Please go feed starving children in Africa for a year. Get some perspective. Jenn's cat-and-mouse game with hometown honey Jared blew up most extravagantly, with her illicit Denver liaisons being revealed to him during his visit. Jenn, generally the most likable of the housemates, came off looking especially tawdry as one paramour after another popped up. Whoops.

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'Real World': Wonder Twin powers, activate!

Whoa, that's gotta be a record -- it's the second week of "The Real World: Sydney," and already two of the contestants have completely morphed into each other.

Shauvon: Long hair, with blond highlights on top, dark underneath. Busty. Lots of eyeliner. Dumped her fiance just before taking off for Australia.

Trisha: Long hair, with blond highlights on top, dark underneath. Busty. Lots of eyeliner. Half-dumped her boyfriend almost immediately after arriving in Australia.

And, as it turns out, both jump right into the Down Under dating scene with some Aussie blokes. (For the record, it was the guys in the house who were the first to make a "Thunder From Down Under" joke.)

And we're back to see what happens when people start getting real -- or at least as real as reality TV allows them to be.

The crew this time is in Sydney, in a ridiculously large home -- even by the standards of this show -- that includes a recording studio, several spa tubs, an aquarium and, in a tribute to the nature of Australia or something, a couple of stuffed tarantulas behind glass.

On to the cast!

Well, for starters -- and I'm just guessing here -- I don't think Jesus would go on "The Real World."

In the season finale, both Davis and Stephen had crises of faith: Davis has a drunken hookup with a guy he met in a bar; Stephen's flirting with Jenn turned into some heavy petting. All well and good and typical "Real World" behavior, except that the two have significant others outside of the house and after their flings, they were overwhelmed with guilt.

It's vacation time! The Denver gang leaves the mountains for Thailand, where they learn to appreciate the cultural shock of Bangkok, the beauty of the outlying islands, and the mind-expanding intensity of traveling to a very different foreign land. Oh, who am I kidding? Brooke thinks she was stung by a jellyfish - and asks her housemates to urinate on her foot, in theory to numb the pain. They do, with a little more enthusiasm than I could stomach immediately after dinner.

Colie, come here. Let me give you a hug. Alex doesn't like you. He doesn't respect you. He's not interested.  You seem like a nice girl - Lord knows, you're the only one on The Real World who's ever been seen reading an actual, honest-to-God book, in hardcover nonetheless. But hooking up with studly Alex is a huge mistake. In the merry-go-round of booty that is The Real World: Denver, the hookup between Colie and Alex may be the most shocking - the player, and the girl who was in therapy because she was so needy as a kid that she couldn't be left home alone. This is not a match made in heaven.

Awwwww group hug! The Real World gang finally finished their Outward Bound work assignment Wednesday night without seriously injuring any of their campers or each other. Hooray! No Med-Evac copters! Of course, one girl -- a survivor of Hurricane Katrina -- hyperventilated and had to be taken down the mountain; Colie thought she had a recurrence of mono and had to be taken down the mountain, and Brooke pitched an Amazing Race-style hissy fit over her fear of heights when forced to rappel down the mountain...but that's pretty much a typical week for the Real Worlders when they encounter nature.

Oh Brooke. Oh Jenn. Please go feed starving children in Africa for a year. Get some perspective. Jenn's cat-and-mouse game with hometown honey Jared blew up most extravagantly, with her illicit Denver liaisons being revealed to him during his visit. Jenn, generally the most likable of the housemates, came off looking especially tawdry as one paramour after another popped up. Whoops.

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'Real World Sydney': G'day roommate!

And we're back to see what happens when people start getting real -- or at least as real as reality TV allows them to be.

The crew this time is in Sydney, in a ridiculously large home -- even by the standards of this show -- that includes a recording studio, several spa tubs, an aquarium and, in a tribute to the nature of Australia or something, a couple of stuffed tarantulas behind glass.

On to the cast!

Well, for starters -- and I'm just guessing here -- I don't think Jesus would go on "The Real World."

In the season finale, both Davis and Stephen had crises of faith: Davis has a drunken hookup with a guy he met in a bar; Stephen's flirting with Jenn turned into some heavy petting. All well and good and typical "Real World" behavior, except that the two have significant others outside of the house and after their flings, they were overwhelmed with guilt.

It's vacation time! The Denver gang leaves the mountains for Thailand, where they learn to appreciate the cultural shock of Bangkok, the beauty of the outlying islands, and the mind-expanding intensity of traveling to a very different foreign land. Oh, who am I kidding? Brooke thinks she was stung by a jellyfish - and asks her housemates to urinate on her foot, in theory to numb the pain. They do, with a little more enthusiasm than I could stomach immediately after dinner.

Colie, come here. Let me give you a hug. Alex doesn't like you. He doesn't respect you. He's not interested.  You seem like a nice girl - Lord knows, you're the only one on The Real World who's ever been seen reading an actual, honest-to-God book, in hardcover nonetheless. But hooking up with studly Alex is a huge mistake. In the merry-go-round of booty that is The Real World: Denver, the hookup between Colie and Alex may be the most shocking - the player, and the girl who was in therapy because she was so needy as a kid that she couldn't be left home alone. This is not a match made in heaven.

Awwwww group hug! The Real World gang finally finished their Outward Bound work assignment Wednesday night without seriously injuring any of their campers or each other. Hooray! No Med-Evac copters! Of course, one girl -- a survivor of Hurricane Katrina -- hyperventilated and had to be taken down the mountain; Colie thought she had a recurrence of mono and had to be taken down the mountain, and Brooke pitched an Amazing Race-style hissy fit over her fear of heights when forced to rappel down the mountain...but that's pretty much a typical week for the Real Worlders when they encounter nature.

Oh Brooke. Oh Jenn. Please go feed starving children in Africa for a year. Get some perspective. Jenn's cat-and-mouse game with hometown honey Jared blew up most extravagantly, with her illicit Denver liaisons being revealed to him during his visit. Jenn, generally the most likable of the housemates, came off looking especially tawdry as one paramour after another popped up. Whoops.

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'The Real World': What would Jesus do?

Well, for starters -- and I'm just guessing here -- I don't think Jesus would go on "The Real World."

In the season finale, both Davis and Stephen had crises of faith: Davis has a drunken hookup with a guy he met in a bar; Stephen's flirting with Jenn turned into some heavy petting. All well and good and typical "Real World" behavior, except that the two have significant others outside of the house and after their flings, they were overwhelmed with guilt.

It's vacation time! The Denver gang leaves the mountains for Thailand, where they learn to appreciate the cultural shock of Bangkok, the beauty of the outlying islands, and the mind-expanding intensity of traveling to a very different foreign land. Oh, who am I kidding? Brooke thinks she was stung by a jellyfish - and asks her housemates to urinate on her foot, in theory to numb the pain. They do, with a little more enthusiasm than I could stomach immediately after dinner.

Colie, come here. Let me give you a hug. Alex doesn't like you. He doesn't respect you. He's not interested.  You seem like a nice girl - Lord knows, you're the only one on The Real World who's ever been seen reading an actual, honest-to-God book, in hardcover nonetheless. But hooking up with studly Alex is a huge mistake. In the merry-go-round of booty that is The Real World: Denver, the hookup between Colie and Alex may be the most shocking - the player, and the girl who was in therapy because she was so needy as a kid that she couldn't be left home alone. This is not a match made in heaven.

Awwwww group hug! The Real World gang finally finished their Outward Bound work assignment Wednesday night without seriously injuring any of their campers or each other. Hooray! No Med-Evac copters! Of course, one girl -- a survivor of Hurricane Katrina -- hyperventilated and had to be taken down the mountain; Colie thought she had a recurrence of mono and had to be taken down the mountain, and Brooke pitched an Amazing Race-style hissy fit over her fear of heights when forced to rappel down the mountain...but that's pretty much a typical week for the Real Worlders when they encounter nature.

Oh Brooke. Oh Jenn. Please go feed starving children in Africa for a year. Get some perspective. Jenn's cat-and-mouse game with hometown honey Jared blew up most extravagantly, with her illicit Denver liaisons being revealed to him during his visit. Jenn, generally the most likable of the housemates, came off looking especially tawdry as one paramour after another popped up. Whoops.

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'The Real World': Thai one on

It's vacation time! The Denver gang leaves the mountains for Thailand, where they learn to appreciate the cultural shock of Bangkok, the beauty of the outlying islands, and the mind-expanding intensity of traveling to a very different foreign land. Oh, who am I kidding? Brooke thinks she was stung by a jellyfish - and asks her housemates to urinate on her foot, in theory to numb the pain. They do, with a little more enthusiasm than I could stomach immediately after dinner.

Colie, come here. Let me give you a hug. Alex doesn't like you. He doesn't respect you. He's not interested.  You seem like a nice girl - Lord knows, you're the only one on The Real World who's ever been seen reading an actual, honest-to-God book, in hardcover nonetheless. But hooking up with studly Alex is a huge mistake. In the merry-go-round of booty that is The Real World: Denver, the hookup between Colie and Alex may be the most shocking - the player, and the girl who was in therapy because she was so needy as a kid that she couldn't be left home alone. This is not a match made in heaven.

Awwwww group hug! The Real World gang finally finished their Outward Bound work assignment Wednesday night without seriously injuring any of their campers or each other. Hooray! No Med-Evac copters! Of course, one girl -- a survivor of Hurricane Katrina -- hyperventilated and had to be taken down the mountain; Colie thought she had a recurrence of mono and had to be taken down the mountain, and Brooke pitched an Amazing Race-style hissy fit over her fear of heights when forced to rappel down the mountain...but that's pretty much a typical week for the Real Worlders when they encounter nature.

Oh Brooke. Oh Jenn. Please go feed starving children in Africa for a year. Get some perspective. Jenn's cat-and-mouse game with hometown honey Jared blew up most extravagantly, with her illicit Denver liaisons being revealed to him during his visit. Jenn, generally the most likable of the housemates, came off looking especially tawdry as one paramour after another popped up. Whoops.

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'The Real World': Sexual politics

Colie, come here. Let me give you a hug. Alex doesn't like you. He doesn't respect you. He's not interested.  You seem like a nice girl - Lord knows, you're the only one on The Real World who's ever been seen reading an actual, honest-to-God book, in hardcover nonetheless. But hooking up with studly Alex is a huge mistake. In the merry-go-round of booty that is The Real World: Denver, the hookup between Colie and Alex may be the most shocking - the player, and the girl who was in therapy because she was so needy as a kid that she couldn't be left home alone. This is not a match made in heaven.

Awwwww group hug! The Real World gang finally finished their Outward Bound work assignment Wednesday night without seriously injuring any of their campers or each other. Hooray! No Med-Evac copters! Of course, one girl -- a survivor of Hurricane Katrina -- hyperventilated and had to be taken down the mountain; Colie thought she had a recurrence of mono and had to be taken down the mountain, and Brooke pitched an Amazing Race-style hissy fit over her fear of heights when forced to rappel down the mountain...but that's pretty much a typical week for the Real Worlders when they encounter nature.

Oh Brooke. Oh Jenn. Please go feed starving children in Africa for a year. Get some perspective. Jenn's cat-and-mouse game with hometown honey Jared blew up most extravagantly, with her illicit Denver liaisons being revealed to him during his visit. Jenn, generally the most likable of the housemates, came off looking especially tawdry as one paramour after another popped up. Whoops.

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'The Real World': Outward bind

Awwwww group hug! The Real World gang finally finished their Outward Bound work assignment Wednesday night without seriously injuring any of their campers or each other. Hooray! No Med-Evac copters! Of course, one girl -- a survivor of Hurricane Katrina -- hyperventilated and had to be taken down the mountain; Colie thought she had a recurrence of mono and had to be taken down the mountain, and Brooke pitched an Amazing Race-style hissy fit over her fear of heights when forced to rappel down the mountain...but that's pretty much a typical week for the Real Worlders when they encounter nature.

Oh Brooke. Oh Jenn. Please go feed starving children in Africa for a year. Get some perspective. Jenn's cat-and-mouse game with hometown honey Jared blew up most extravagantly, with her illicit Denver liaisons being revealed to him during his visit. Jenn, generally the most likable of the housemates, came off looking especially tawdry as one paramour after another popped up. Whoops.

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'The Real World': A low night for the ladies

Oh Brooke. Oh Jenn. Please go feed starving children in Africa for a year. Get some perspective. Jenn's cat-and-mouse game with hometown honey Jared blew up most extravagantly, with her illicit Denver liaisons being revealed to him during his visit. Jenn, generally the most likable of the housemates, came off looking especially tawdry as one paramour after another popped up. Whoops.

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'The Real World': Worst job ever!

Underprivileged kids of Sydney beware: The Real World is heading your way. In past editions of The Real World, the roommates are forced to "work" at one task or another, presumably to prevent all of them from cocooning and getting cirrhosis during filming.

In Las Vegas, they worked for the Palms Casino (as, among other things, go-go dancers); in Chicago they planned activities for the city's park district. In the current round, in Denver, the seven have been forced to fake a Rocky Mountain High by interning for Outward Bound.

In theory, it's a good idea: the abysmally self-centered roommates have to focus on mentoring poor  kids -- and they get to wear skimpy clothes!

But it has been obvious from the first episode that the roommates have zero interest in the outdoors, zero interest in non-jacuzzi-related physical activity and zero interest in camping anywhere other than at the local bar. They've ditched out of training, made whining calls to their Outward Bound coordinator, and generally made a mess of the whole endeavor.

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.

'The Real World': Tyrie is leading man in 'Real World' ratings ploy

Between the tantrums, the brawls and the tidal waves of mascara spawned by uncontrolled sobbing, MTV's "The Real World" has rarely been a program that showcases the complexity of humanity. However, the last two episodes — during the show's 18th iteration, this time taking place in Denver — did address the shades of gray in a volatile relationship: What's the line between a couple having a big-time "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" tussle and an outburst that's actually domestic violence?

Here's how it unfolded: In last week's episode, viewers found out that Tyrie, in quick succession, had hooked up with two lovely gals from the local bar, Ashley and Jazalle. A 23-year-old from Omaha, Tyrie is a classic "Real World" stereotype — a reformed gangbanger. Trouble was clearly heading his way.

Toward the end of the episode, Jazalle became profoundly upset upon finding out that Tyrie slept with the other woman. Shouting and crying, she barricaded herself in the bathroom — and Tyrie, screaming, followed her in. Viewers got a glimpse of Jazalle opening the door and trying to leave — and of Tyrie, quite roughly, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back in the bathroom.