Ozzy Osbourne brought sitcom energy to reality TV, helping define the genre

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Ozzy Osbourne, who died Tuesday, July 22, at 76, was famous for being the epitome of the heavy-metal front man, a wild-child rock star whose antics and exploits sometimes threatened to overshadow his musical gifts.

But he was also something else: In the early 2000s, Osbourne was perhaps the most unlikely reality TV star ever (with apologies to Donald Trump) and a breakout personality when the genre was still finding its footing. It was one of those weird phenomena, the kind of success you can't predict ― though heaven knows TV executives have tried.

"The Osbournes" premiered on MTV in March of 2002. It starred Ozzy, his wife Sharon (who was unquestionably the ringleader) and their children Kelly and Jack, both of whom became popular in their own right, mostly for driving Ozzy crazy. (The oldest daughter, Aimee, declined to participate in the show.)

The theme song? "Crazy Train," of course ― but performed by someone else: Lewis Lamedica, in a lounge-singer style. That was fitting, setting up a show full of the unexpected.

Ozzy Osbourne brought sitcom energy to reality TV

For instance, and most importantly, instead of the raving rock-n-roll madman viewers might have thought we'd see, biting the heads off of bats or whatever, we got a warmer, fuzzier Ozzy, a slightly addled man puttering around his house worrying about his children ― "the babies," as he called them, or yelling, "Sharon!" in exasperation. He and his family brought a sitcom energy to reality TV.

What a time.

A time in which reality TV was still something of a novelty, albeit a popular one. More than 51 million people watched the finale of Season 1 of "Survivor" in August of 2000, after all. But networks and audiences were still figuring out what this genre was going to be, in an era still dominated by broadcast networks and their rigid TV schedules and seasons.

No one ― no one ― could have predicted how popular the genre would become. I know, because I was there at the beginning of it, a TV critic watching with bemusement and occasional annoyance as reality shows gradually pushed out scripted fare. Of course, the true reality of most reality shows is that they were often at least partially scripted and always edited to create characters. That's what is at the heart of any great TV show, after all, good characters.

And in Ozzy, MTV found a great one.

Reality TV has evolved, but Ozzy was a pioneer

There was something comforting about the rock-star-at-home persona the show created. He doted over his children, at least when he wasn't screaming at them. He was a decidedly weird presence, and possibly a genuinely weird guy. (Again, editing works wonders in TV.) But he also clearly loved his family, and loved being part of a family. There was a sweetness about him that was undeniable.

Later, he said he was stoned for the entirety of the show's run. Eh, so what?

Reality TV evolved over the years. "Survivor" is still on the air, and still has a devoted following, if not as big as it once was (that's true for everything on TV except NFL football). Shows like "Love Island" capture the cultural moment and sometimes produce breakout stars, however fleeting.

Ozzy had the advantage of being a big star before "The Osbournes," in another medium altogether. He was a pioneer in an aggressive, in-your-face genre of music in which macho posturing plays a big role. But not on "The Osbournes." The adaptability of his outsized personality and the incongruity of seeing the guy who belts out "Iron Man" on stage worrying about what time his kids will get home was, at least for a while, irresistible.

Thank goodness: Stephen Colbert shows he isn't going quietly

Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Twitter: @goodyk. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. What are you waiting for?