Who's sick of Reality shows?

DeathStar1 · 04-21-2003, 01:28 PM

I just heard a commercial for the newest one on Fox, the one with Lewinsky hosting.. 'One woman will date head bagged bachelors. She won't know what they look like until it's to late. And of course, at the end, there's...Duh duh duh DUH... A TWIST you won't beleive!'

I may be the only one, but I never got into the whole survivor craze. It might be fun if they didn't go eating bug larva or other stuff that makes you churn your stomach. Fear Factor I never watched for the same reason. If they dropped the disgusting stuff from that and just went into gut wrenching stunts, I might actually watch it.

I'm also sick of these romance shows that are cheap as dirt to produce. Those people NEVER stay together, so what's the point of investing a whole hour of your time into watching it?

The ONLY reality show I've ever gotten into is Amazing Race, if only because it's more of a Gameshow than anything else. That, and I'm someonme who would like to travel to some of these far away places like England, Scotland, Australia, Japan, etc, so it grabs my intrest more than the others...

But does anyone see this reality show trend ending anytime soon? I'm almost hoping that someone makes a parody of these shows and puts it on the air. THAT I'd watch

.

Jason Seaver · 04-21-2003, 01:41 PM

Quote:

I'm almost hoping that someone makes a parody of these shows and puts it on the air.

What about Series 7 and Joe Millionaire?

They probably won't go away any time soon. They're too cheap to produce and many are fun wish-fulfillment for an audience that often feels like they've seen all that a scripted show has to offer.

Not that it's necessarily a bad thing. I look at the likes of Survivor and The Amazing Race basically being a combination of sports and serialized drama, while the talent competition ones are basically straightforward entertainment that doesn't hurt anybody (although the advertising focus on American Idol's snarkiest host is somewhat unseemly). The romance ones... Yeah, they're cynical, but I think less so than they were, since by now I doubt anyone really expects the participants to get married at the end. The fantasy that two people who otherwise wouldn't ever have met might come together is a pleasant one, though.

John Watson · 04-21-2003, 01:47 PM

Farce is reality for most of these people (who watch the worst of these shows), its a real cosmic joke that they are allowed to vote, have kids, etc.

Bread and circuses, the Romans used to call it

Maybe the world won't end with a bang, but with a titter

Morgan Jolley · 04-21-2003, 02:47 PM

I like watching the romance ones just to see the people not stay together in the end.

And what is probably my overall favorite is The Mole because it's more about your individual abilities than about how others perceive you that affects your success.

Tim Abbott · 04-21-2003, 03:17 PM

As mentioned in another thread, it makes me sick to think about all of the reality shows that will be on next season, while quality shows that draw millions of viewers(think ED!!) may possibly be cancelled next year.

I don't want to turn this into another ED thread, but I'm sure many of you have programs that you like a great deal that won't be back next year. I am convinced that a monkey with a GED could invent better programming that what the networks give us on an average night.

**HTF Ads**

Malcolm R · 04-21-2003, 03:26 PM

I was sick of them before they started. I've never understood why anyone wants to sit and watch a bunch of no-name bozos act like the true-life idiots they are. I can think of dozens of better ways to entertain myself than wasting my life watching that crap.

I get more than enough reality in day-to-day living, thank you very much.

Jeff Kleist · 04-21-2003, 04:09 PM

Anyone want to consider petitioning for an injunction against Fox, forbidding them to EVER create another reality show dealing in any way with romance or relationships?

When people get sick of the bug eating and backstabbing reality shows will die a very quick death. Unfortunately The Amazing Race will likely be toast long before then.

MickeS · 04-21-2003, 04:39 PM

How many "reality shows suck"-threads are we gonna have? Can't Patrick create one big "The Official Reality TV bashing thread" for all you people who think they're so horrible?

I'm not sick of them at all, I think they're fun entertainment and it gives me some sick pleasure in seeing these no-names steal airtime from overpaid millionaires in crappy over-the-hill sitcoms and stale dramas.

/Mike

Morgan Jolley · 04-21-2003, 05:09 PM

As a little aside, I watched an episode or two of The Amazing Race, and found it to be a little boring. I prefer more action, whether it's backstabbing, bug eating, or something else.

Joel C · 04-21-2003, 06:02 PM

I'm sorry, but MORE ACTION? What episode of TAR did you see? This show packs more action into one episode than an entire season of Survivor (I like both shows).