The Buried Life on MTV

I'll admit that I never expected to find one of my new favorite shows by watching MTV. Sure it's fine for popcorn entertainment and a good way to waste a half hour, but the place to find a show with actual substance? Enter, the Buried Life.

The premise is simple and altogether inspired. Four friends (Ben Nemtin, Duncan Penn, Dave Lingwood, and Jonnie Penn) set out to complete a list of 100 things they want to do before they die. And we're not talking about necessarily easy tasks either. In Season One of the Buried Life episodes range from helping to deliver a baby to attending a party at the Playboy mansion to telling a joke on late night TV. They're not always successful, but the fact they attempt some fairly lofty goals is really fun to watch.

I guess I connect with their ambition and desire to do things for the sake of collecting experiences. These guys are all in their twenties and I feel like (for me anyway) it's the time when you first start to realize that there are time limits for accomplishing some of the things you want to. Not to mention that big goals take time. I can also relate to the joy of documenting your adventures - something these guys get to do as a day job.

The message is upbeat, often hilarious, and surprisingly moving. Each episode they also help a stranger cross something big off their own bucket list. It's a nice touch that brings the focus back down to a personal level. There are little things that we can do everyday to make a difference, to inspire others, and to just generally make life better.

It's a great question to ask yourself, what do you want to do before you die?