The best non-video programs ever to be aired on MTV

Our list begins with the underrated reality series starring skateboarder/actor Rob Dyrdek and his bodyguard Christopher "Big Black" Boykin. There were no real storyline, more like how entertaining the two could be while trying to kill time on a daily basis. Some of the highlights during the show's three-season run included Big breaking the Guinness World Record for powdered sugar doughnuts consumption and the purchase of a mini horse. 

With Pimp My Ride, it's as if MTV met HGTV. Famed rapper Xzibit was at the controls of a show where an older, often beat-up car is lavishly restored and customized to offer much more appeal. Though the show was often chided and ripped for its questionable authenticity, when it came to the actual restoration of those vehicles, it was among the network's most popular shows during most of that run.   

A spin-off Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, The Hills was arguably more popular while following the lives of younger adults in Los Angeles. It was another reality show that made no-namers like Lauren Conrad, Heidi Montag,  Audrina Patridge and Spencer Pratt into household names within the realm of cable pop culture for doing absolutely nothing but looking good. Of course, at the time, this was the type of television that America was eating up. 

Catfish, in its television form, is still a part of the American viewing culture, and for some, one of the only reasons to still watch MTV. What can we say? Audiences can't get enough of people being duped, emotionally destroyed or downright devastated within the world of Internet dating. Based on the 2010 movie Catfish, the show is highly addictive, no matter how refined one believes its television-viewing habits may be.

It can be argued that Ridiculousness might be the only good reason to watch MTV these days. The aforementioned Rob Dyrdek is one of the co-hosts on this usually hilarious clip show, where he and fellow hosts Sterling "Steelo" Brim and Lauren Wood (and formerly Chanel West Coast) highlight, comment and mostly mock viral videos that are found on the Web. Think of it as the Gen Z version of America's Funniest Home Videos without the prize money.

The show that introduced Jenny McCarthy to the masses, for better or worse. The former Playboy Playmate earned her big television break while co-hosting, alongside the more tolerable Chris Hardwick, this Gen X version of The Dating Game on steroids. However, there were more comedic twists and turns, and McCarthy's over-the-top antics led the way. The show was a longtime hit for MTV, and even enjoyed a streaming reboot in the late 2010s, with Keke Palmer as one of the hosts. 

Consider this the "OG" of MTV's mothers-too-soon fare. And that's why it gets some love here, with spin-offs Teen Mom, Teen Mom 2, Teen Mom 3, Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant, getting their due under the umbrella of 16 and Pregnant. Presented in a documentary format, the original followed the lives of pregnant teens navigating their ways through school, home and the community. It spans a range of emotion and was popular enough to remain relevant for several years. 

This documentary series spanned a whopping 21 seasons, and just might be the most substantive programming ever to grace the network's airwaves. A film crew followed individual(s) with story lines involving everything from substance abuse issues, racial injustice, sexuality and pretty much everything else in between and beyond. The program received several media awards and even followed the lives of participants and cast members for other MTV shows. 

Partially created by actor Ashton Kutcher, who also produced and hosted this hidden-camera formatted, practical joke reality show that was extremely popular with audiences. There were also plenty of times where celebrities (like B.J. Novak, Elijah Wood and Dax Shepard, to name a few) of various levels were brought in to get in on the fun. In later years, Punk’d resurfaced (minus Kutcher as host) on MTV, BET and Quibi.

Some might be surprised to learn that Cribs is still active, via Snapchat, while still backed by the MTV brand. However, in its heyday, Cribs was the go-to show to see what the lavish homes of celebrities looked like and how high on the hog they live. Or, at the very least, gave off the image of that kind of domestic high society. Who can forget the one-hour special tour of Mariah Carey's New York penthouse?

The companion to MTV's groundbreaking reality series The Real World (of course there will more about that later), Road Rules stuck six strangers in an RV, traveling around and completing missions while dealing with the mostly-entertaining drama that was inevitably going to ensue. Though it was easy to rail on Road Rules as a copy of The Real World, it was creative and interesting enough to keep viewers coming back.  

This claymation stop-motion series might be one of the most creative and innovative programs ever to air on MTV. Claymation versions of entertainers, athletes, talk show hosts or news types would square off in a wrestling match that usually resulted in over-the-top injuries, with plenty of blood and gore to boot. Some of the most memorable matches included George Washington vs. Abraham Lincoln, Schwarzenegger vs. Stallone, Kathie Lee Gifford vs. Howard Stern and Britney Spears vs. Christina Aguilera.

Though inspired by the good-time 1985 comedy movie of the same name starring Michael J. Fox, MTV's Teen Wolf series was much darker, dramatic and filled with plenty of supernatural elements and story lines. After all, high schooler Scott McCall (Tyler Posey) becomes a superhero of sorts after being bitten by a werewolf, and is saddled with protecting his home town of Beacon Hills from supernatural forces and enemies. Teen Wolf was consistently lauded and earned award recognition during its run.

Ozzy Osbourne went from the "Prince of Darkness" to America's favorite reality television dad. The Osbournes were all the rage during the first half of the 2000s, as the series chronicled Ozzy's day-to-day activities with wife Sharon and children Jack and Kelly (daughter Aimee refused to take part in the show) and became appointment viewing. America couldn't seem to get enough of Ozzy stumbling and mumbling around the house, often yelling for "SHARON."

MTV's first crack at non-musical programming ran at the end of the 1980s and early '90s. It featured three contestants answering questions about pop culture. The late Ken Ober hosted, and funny man Colin Quinn served as the show's announcer. One-time "It" girl Kari Wuhrer helped out for two seasons, and the viewers were also introduced to a young comedian/writer named Adam Sandler as "Stick Pin." 

Bitter and jaded, animated Daria Morgendorffer, (superbly voiced by the versatile Tracy Grandstaff) is a cynical teenager who navigates her high school years with best friend Jane Lane. Daria, created by Mike Judge for his other, more popular MTV animated series (more on that soon) is not the most cheerful character that the network has ever produced. However, her pessimism, sarcasm and underrated dry wit is why she's quite relatable to a good portion of teens who choose to shun conformity.

As of 2024, The Real World was still the longest-running program in MTV history. Back in the early 1990s, fans were introduced to a rather unique and addictive form of reality television. Watching seven strangers live in a house together trying to make the best of their situation provided high drama and was appointment viewing for many.  And it kept going — for better or worse — over the years. That first cast, set in New York, reunited for another go-around. There have been 33 seasons that aired, coming to viewers from places like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Paris, and Australia — just to name a few spots.

In terms of Jåckass' actual MTV shelf life, it spanned 25 episodes over three short seasons. However, to no real surprise, the show left viewers falling over in laughter while Johnny Knoxville and Co. humiliated and mutilated themselves through a series of wild and often inappropriate stunts and pranks. From there, the Jåckass franchise took off and still hasn't landed. Through spin-offs, movies, etc, the Jåckass brand will likely never die. 

The series that gave us Snooki, The Situation, JWoww" and Pauly D. If The Real World opened the door to living in a reality television setting, Jersey Shore knocked it out of the biggest ballpark in the world. The show became a part of pop culture iconography, turned its cast members in Beatles-like stars and spawned several spin-offs, one-offs and reunions to the point that those mentioned remain somewhat relevant to this day. 

Created by Mike Judge (Office Space; King of the Hill), Beavis and Butt-Head might not be for everyone, but there is no denying that these two heavy metal-loving, couch-sitting animated slackers built one of the most popular cartoons of all time. And, since being revived for the streaming universe, the show has been introduced and embraced by a new generation of fans who enjoy sophomoric humor and disdain for the band Winger. Like Jersey Shore, Jåckass or The Real World, Beavis and Butt-Head is a part of American pop culture iconography and can soundly stand tall above all other non-music-related MTV viewing options.