MTV's "Jersey Shore in Appalachia" reality series "Buckwild" had a very brief and very unhappy lifecycle. It launched amid censure from critics and lawmakers, over its largely cheap depiction of kids from rural West Virginia communities. It concluded ignominiously, with one cast member arrested on drug charges, and another dead of carbon monoxide poisoning, the results of a tragic accident unrelated to the filming of the show. One week after that cast member, Shain Gandee, died, MTV opted to cancel "Buckwild."

Since this crass experiment in rural poverty voyeurism ran badly off the rails, one would imagine there wouldn't be a rush to recreate it. Well, one might be wrong. A memo obtained by The Huffington Post -- authored by Katie Zwick of the Creative Artists Agency, delineating "network needs" to their client production companies -- indicates there is still a strong interest in a "Buckwild" redux. More specifically, the memo describes a "BUCKWILD replacement i.e. a show set in the south with loud, unpolished, young kids" -- among other ideas.


    From: "Zwick, Katie" [EMAIL REDACTED] Date: April 26, 2013, 8:06:22 PM EDT Cc: "Zwick, Katie" [EMAIL REDACTED] Subject: Network Needs as of 4/26/13



    Disclaimer: The information contained in this email is constantly changing. The network needs listed come from numerous sources and are as current as of the publication of this email. The email is for the benefit of CAA and its clients. Please do not forward it or share it with anyone.

    Please note that Network Needs come out as often as we get the information which is not necessarily daily.

    MTV - Below is a list of categories that MTV currently feels like they are missing in their current programming:

    1) A Latin American family docu i.e. The Latin version of RUN’S HOUSE.

    2) A BUCKWILD replacement i.e. a show set in the south with loud, unpolished, young kids.

    3) A big, loud competition show whether it is a music competition or social experiment.

    4) A docuseries about an African American choir.

    5) A MEET THE OSBOURNES replacement i.e. a docuseries based around a celebrity family.

    6) Their next version of TRL or some kind of live music/event show.

    7) A dating show that skews younger and is somewhat out of the box.

    Have a great weekend everyone!

Whether or not MTV actually "feels like they are missing" these concepts "in their current programming" is an open question. The network has disavowed this memo completely. In a statement, a spokesman told The Huffington Post, “This memo did not come from MTV and does not include accurate information.”