Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Not so real reality.


I know AA will bash me for writing about this. But I had watched the Amazing Race the other night, and the show still interest me. Yes, I am aware that reality shows took off like wildfire with the introduction of Survivor. Soon after every television station has its own reality show of sorts! But we all know that the reality of it is, it is not that real.

Even Survivor is a semi–scripted show with a lot of guidelines and boundaries. So those of you with vicious carnal desire to see people being eaten up by tigers or lions and piranhas will just have to wait until someone add some “reality” to “reality tv”.

Our prime time tv is flooded with what they call "reality show". There is Parental Control where parents choose a guy or a girl for their sons and daughters to date because they don’t like her present boyfriend or girlfriend. There is Date your Mom, where the guy date the mothers and in turn she kinda pimp her daughter to win the guy over. There is also a show about an average guy who wants to date a super model. Or women competing to marry a guy whom they thought is rich, but is actually just a construction worker. And many more where I think writers took every variation in the theme of banality. And they are still coming up with asinine show idea – The Beauty and the Geek, The Biggest Loser, The Apprentice, Big Brother, to name a few.

American Idol on the other hand focuses strictly on singing. It calls upon the mass turn out of every shower diva in the country. In one sense, it brings out America's best, but on the other hand, it brings out America's worst. The show emphasizes the fact that, not only are they looking for a good, strong singer and performer, but they are also looking at style and appearance. And with the candidness that defines the show, the bad singers and people who don't fit the image are booted. This actually may be the closest thing to reality that reality TV gets.

But I also noticed that people have had enough of reality show because now there seems to be a continuous stream of game shows. Between Deal or No Deal, 1 vs. 100, and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, prime time game shows are making a comeback!

Are public viewer already tired of the reality show genre? Maybe they have gotten used to reality TV and now the hype is gone, but the writers are still writing as if we still need more. It's like eating our grandmother's special recipe. The first helping was good, but the 10th makes you sick. The ideas are becoming exhausted and frankly are reaching the bottom of the barrel.

But wait...when will the new AI start? Can’t wait to see Ellen D among the judges and hear her funny remarks. I am pretty sure I will watch the next episode of AR on Monday to see who get eliminated.

AA, I am sorry but I'm taking the best seat to watch it. You can go pull your thinning hair, hahaha!

5 comments:

Angry American said...

"The Biggest Loser" is the only real "reality show" on the airwaves (yes I watched some of it once). It's about real people who have real weight problems and the show actually helps them lose it.

There's one more where families (some are lower income) gets their home refurbished for free but I can't remember the name. The rest have a bunch of freaks and idiots who enjoy proving it to the whole world on tv.

Tracey said...

I'm not 'hooked' on any TV really, I watch what ever the boys have on, but I have to be sewing...XXX

ADMIN said...

Have you watched Housewives of Atlanta, or Housewives of New Jersey, or Housewives of Orange County?
M kids and I ike to watch Little People together.
We also watch America's Top Talent together.
I enjoy AI, but I only watch it after it's down to the top 12 or so.
I love Ellen DeGeneras and I'm sure she'll make the how more fun to watch.

Sid Brechin said...

You mean Gilligan's Island, Get Smart and the Beverly Hillbillies weren't reality shows.

The only ones I know for sure are pure bs are political speeches.

MEDICALBOOBOOS said...

I watched the first ever series of Big Brother in the U.K, never again.
I watched the first series of the apprentice, then stopped. I hate survivor and all of the ultra competitive shows.
I watched American Idol maybe three times.
The one programme I hate more than the rest is Flava Flave(he is hideous!!!) with his giant clock and yearly girlfriends tacky and nasty to the max.

The only "reality" programme I have watched and enjoyed doesn't involve ultra competitive knobs.
Half Ton Hospital (American based) was eye opening, it bought out every emotion watching 500-700 pound people try and survive or not.
xoxooxoxoox

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