'The Real World: Brooklyn' preview: The house! The roommates! The hookups!

After 20 seasons of hot tubbing, bar crawling, bar brawling, and spit swapping, The Real World has finally made its way across the bridge and through the tunnel to Brooklyn, New York. The 456th -- er, I mean, 21st -- season of the reality show that helped spawn the entire genre begins tonight (10 p.m. EST) on MTV, and you're probably wondering why this show is even still on the air. Well, The Real World might seem like that senior in college who just can't graduate, but this season, according to cast member Katelynn, the show is breaking the mold. “We’re not at all like anything that you guys have ever seen before," she told me during my visit to the house last month. "I think what you’re going to find from our group is that every single one of us is ambitious and driven. We all pursue our own passions and we pursue them vehemently. We’re not your normal vapid, 20-somethings, party-and-get-wasted group."

We'll see how true that is as the show unfolds, but until then, we've sorted through all the nonsense to bring you a rap sheet on the roommates (after the jump) and a video tour of their pad, located right on the East River on the very tip of Red Hook (in other words, it's pretty much in the middle of nowhere, as in, it took me over 40 minutes to get there by cab from Manhattan). Press play below for a personal tour of the RW digs by roommates Katelynn and Chet. My mad videographer skills really shine through, so you won't want to miss it!

And now, meet the eight (yup, they've upgraded!) roommates:

BAYA

Age: 21
Hometown: Salt Lake City -- and no, she is not Mormon
While in N.Y., she'll be pursuing: A professional dancing career
Potential hookups with a roomie: None. "I came into this knowing that that wasn’t something I was looking for," she told me. Uh-huh and what about the fact that she chose to bunk with token house hottie Scott? “I am not physically attracted to Scott," she added. "Not even a little bit.”
Potential source of drama that will inevitably erupt during his/her time in the house: This girl seems pretty squeaky clean in the conflict-department. However, her uber-laid-back nature could irk a few of the other high-strung personalities. Especially because she says things like, "I have a lot of beatnik in me" and "I am rooted to the earth."
Fill in the blank, "I am the _____ of Real World 21": “Baya is the free spirit of Real World 21," Sarah said in response for Baya. "She’s very go-with-the-flow, she’s a good listener, and she’s not very set in her own ideas."

CHET

Age: 23
Hometown: He's also from Salt Lake City -- and he is Mormon
While in N.Y., he'll be pursuing: TV hosting
Potential hookup with a roomie: “I wasn’t attracted to the females in the house,” he says. Ah, but what about the males? "No," he insisted with a laugh. "I knew that question would soon follow!" 
Potential source of drama that will inevitably erupt during his/her time in the house: He's a Mormon, a conservative Republican, and a virgin. Oh, and did we mention his sexual preferences are often questioned? You do the math.
Fill in the blank, "I am the _____ of Real World 21": “I’m the Chet of Real World 21 because I’m kind of reinventing a new typecast.”

DEVYN

Age: 20
Hometown: Kansas City
While in N.Y., she'll be pursuing: Acting, of course. She is a former beauty queen, after all.
Potential hookup with a roomie: Ding ding ding, we've got a winner! You'll see her overtly crushing on Scott in tonight's episode, and she says the love spell did not end there. "Where Scott and I end up has a twist that no one could’ve predicted, including myself. It’s definitely a roller coaster ride. You’ll never guess it."
Potential source of drama that will inevitably erupt during his/her time in the house: She came to Brooklyn as single gal, but a visit by her ex-boyfriend might prove otherwise. "There has been some confusion as to whether or not I was still in that relationship while I was here," she explains. "I was not in one. In his mind we were together, but in reality we were not. I was not cheating or being scandalous." Scott, we're, uh, guessing that's a message meant for you.
Fill in the blank, "I am the _____ of Real World 21": “I’m the analyst of Real World 21, in that I spent [the] majority of my time analyzing everyone, including myself."

J.D.

Age: 22
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
While in N.Y., he'll be pursuing: He's a dolphin trainer, but those gentle sea creatures aren't exactly populating the waterways surrounding NYC. So, instead, J.D. spent a majority of his time doing advocacy work at the LGBT Community Center.
Potential hookup with a roomie: None, but that doesn't mean we won't see him find love (or even lust) outside of the RW casa.
Potential source of drama that will inevitably erupt during his/her time in the house: I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that his homosexuality will stir the pot in some way or another. It always does on this series, doesn't it?
Fill in the blank, "I am the _____ of Real World 21": “I’m the Hispanic gay guy from Real World 21.”
Random fact that I just had to throw in: J.D. and I went to the same high school in Orlando. You care, don't lie.

KATELYNN

Age: 24
Hometown: West Palm Beach, Fla.
While in N.Y., she'll be pursuing: A way to communicate to her roommates (and the world) what it means to have been born a boy, but be living as a girl. "A big part of the reason why I agreed to be a part of the cast was I wanted to destigmatize the word 'transgender,'" she says. "It might be what I am, but it’s not who I am."
Potential hookup with a roomie: None. She started the show with a boyfriend and still has the same one.
Potential source of drama that will inevitably erupt during his/her time in the house: "The transgender issue does become a hot topic initially, but it moves on so beyond that," she hints.
Fill in the blank, "I am the _____ of Real World 21": “I’m the inspirational person of Real World 21. Coming here, I took the time to do a lot of introspection. I’m tough, I’m definitely a spitfire.”

RYAN

Age: 23
Hometown: Gettysburg, Penn.
While in N.Y., he'll be pursuing: A career in filmmaking
Potential hookup with a roomie: None. Like Katelynn, he began the show in a relationship, and he says he is still dating the same girl.
Potential source of drama that will inevitably erupt during his/her time in the house: He's an army vet (his tour in Iraq ended in Sept. 2006) and he's also from a very small town -- two traits that could cause trouble.
Fill in the blank, "I am the _____ of Real World 21": “I’m the random man from Real World 21. I get involved in a lot of things that are usually spur-of-the-moment. I could probably fit a lot of different roles."

SARAH

Age: 22
Hometown: San Francisco
While in N.Y., she'll be pursuing: Her passion for painting and art therapy
Potential hookup with a roomie: None. During filming, her beau visited twice. "I’m in a very serious relationship," she gushes. "We’re madly in love."
Potential source of drama that will inevitably erupt during his/her time in the house: Her stereotypical "punk rock" exterior could give her a bad rep, but she insists that wasn't the case. "People have this idea of girls who are covered in tattoos, who have black hair," she says. "They think we’re going to be this rock-star type who’s going to be dancing on the bar, drinking like crazy, but I am the complete opposite. I’m a camp counselor and I work with kids."
Fill in the blank, "I am the _____ of Real World 21": Baya says, “Sarah is the artist of Real World 21. But that’s not just pertaining to her paintings. She’s completely open to hearing another person’s story.”

SCOTT

Age: 23
Hometown: Salem, N.H.
While in N.Y., he'll be pursuing: Modeling. In fact, the MTV cameras followed him to photoshoots for a yoga clothing line and for Cosmopolitan magazine. Don't confuse him with a piece of meat, though. “My biggest thing coming out here, was I wanted to break the stereotype of guys who go to the gym, models, whatever," he says. "I want people to say this guy has a lot more depth and personality.”
Potential hookup with a roomie: Devyn certainly made it seem like she was going to be shacking up with Scott, but he denies the rumor. "We became great friends," he says. Cough friends cough cough. What was all that stuff she was saying about a twist then? "I don’t even know what the hell you're talking about." I smell something fishy going on.
Potential source of drama that will inevitably erupt during his/her time in the house: [See: "Potential hookup with a roomie."]
Fill in the blank, "I am the _____ of Real World 21": “I’m the glue of Real World 21. I got along with the guys and the girls. I found myself being put in the middle a lot.”