(from l-r) Stephen, Tyrie, Alex, and Jenn nurse their hangovers at Snooze on Larimer Street. Photo from MTV.com.

– Week #2 of “The Real World: Denver” (it’s technically Episode #3, since MTV counts the premiere as two episodes) begins with a recap of last week’s hilarious mess, in which party boy Alex hooked up with Jenn quickly after making out with Colie. As Colie walks around the kitchen at the beginning of Episode 2, obviously hungover, she spies what looks like a wine-soaked rag on the floor, leading her to wonder who left it there.

– Could it be the drunken roommates from the night before, the ones that went behind her back to sleep with each other? The ones she’ll alternately cry with and make meaningless pacts with in the coming minutes? Is anyone in this house sober for more than 12 hours? What the hell is happening to “The Real World”?!

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Things look pretty good from MTV’s side of the ratings.

– In a stark example of statistical interpretation, MTV’s press release from yesterday on the “The Real World: Denver” premiere differs greatly from numbers recently published in Variety magazine. According to that article, the show pulled in 1.56 million total viewers, a 53 percent drop from last season, and a significant decline by any standard. But MTV said the show reached over 8.5 million viewers. So who’s right?

– Neither, technically. Variety’s only counting one episode, while MTV is counting that it played the premiere three times in a row, and they’re not going by strict Nielsen numbers but rather “eyeball impressions.” I obtained the original stats straight from Nielsen and they track with the Variety article. However, as Brandi Preston from Nielsen told me, 8.5 million viewers may be “what is called a reach number…”

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“Real World: Denver” cast members (from l-r) Tyrie, Jenn, Brooke and Stephen explore downtown on their first day. Photo from MTV.com.

–According to an MTV press release, last Wednesday’s premiere episode of “The Real World: Denver” attracted a whopping 8.5 million viewers — pretty darn good for a reality show. Of course, it’s unclear how MTV is interpreting its ratings data. That, and the hour-long show was played three times in a row and surrounded by massive advertising on MTV and its website, so it’s not surprising it may have done well. Still, it would be an auspicious start for a show that seems likely to outstrip the past seasons in terms of sexual drama and fights…

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A still from MTV.com’s “Real World: Denver” after show featuring cast member Brooke (center).

– As the folks over at the Real World/Road Rules blog pointed out today, it’s weird to see positive reviews of reality TV shows. The New York Daily News recently published this missive on “The Real World: Denver’s” inaugural episodes, lauding it as “a vital program.” The article also reveals that a producer had to step into to stop a fight during Episode 3 after someone uses the N-word. Yikes…

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Here’s an easy one: Which “Real World: Denver” cast member came out of the closet in sixth grade?

– Feel like testing your “Real World: Denver” knowledge? Stop by the British Bulldog tonight (Monday, Nov. 27) for some trivia on the seven strangers that took over our city this summer. I’ll be conducting a round at 9:30 p.m., although the overall game starts at 8 p.m. Hosted by Geeks Who Drink, the “Real World” trivia sessions follow on the heels of Get Real Denver’s other trivia nights from earlier this year. Of course, those were about “The Real World” in general, and this one’s about our very own city…