What exactly is it that you like so much about Reality TV?
The ClubHouse: Archive: What exactly is it that you like so much about Reality TV?
Car54 | Friday, October 19, 2001 - 06:23 pm   With so many new and old reality shows, I have been thinking a lot about exactly what it is that draws me to this type of program. I loved the bigger shows last year, and only went on line and discovered this board and others during BB2 this summer..until then absolutely no one I know is into these kinds of programs...so I had no idea all of you were out there. I am really learning some things about myself watching "my shows"... I loved BB1, and watched it almost every night, and this summer I watched the shows. I really read every day's LFP,s but interestingly enough the few times watched the feeds when they were free, I didn't like watching them at all.. in fact they kind of creeped me out...I still haven't figured that one out for sure. My fave show is Amazing Race...and I have found that I really like the sportsmanlike attitudes, the suspense and action, and the relationships. I hate the Guidos, but I am really grateful they are on the show...they really add to the drama and fun. I loved everything about S1, but on the island, they had fish, and seemed like a lot of reward food challenges, decent water, and the climate was decent. Last year, tho I watched every week, I really had a hard time with the out and out physical suffering... those people were literally starving and it really lost it's entertainment value for me. This year, I am enjoying the show so far, but I worry about how physically punishing it is for them, and even tho I know it is their choice, it takes away my enjoyment. I also love The Mole... I love the mental challenge and detective work.. I like shows that are smart!!! Anyway... I seem to be spending an increasing amount of time on these shows, and I am really intrigued by what it is that gives me such pleasure. How about you???? |
Llkoolaid | Friday, October 19, 2001 - 06:32 pm   I love the head games these people play, the mole is especially good because you can kind of play along and try to figure out who it is. I don't care to watch them suffering, which I don't think adds anything to the game, in fact it makes it more predictable, with the stronger ousting the weaker at first and then the reverse when they merge, The starvation is the worst part. I guess I like it because it is real people with real faults and real accomplishments, there are no second takes. It is pretty much the only tv that I watch although I did check out the new sit coms and do like undeclared. I spend more time on the computer talking about them than watching. Maybe the social aspect of that is another thing that makes it more enjoyable. |
Weinermr | Friday, November 09, 2001 - 05:27 pm   I love the fancy t-shirts they give us. |
Bigsister | Saturday, November 10, 2001 - 06:50 am   Big Brother is my alltime favorite, although Survivor is beginning to grow on me. For several years I have been avidly interested in studying personalities and personal relationships. In other words, a people watcher. Big Brother gave me an opportunity to observe people living together and learning to get along (or not). |
Lancecrossfire | Saturday, November 10, 2001 - 03:17 pm   Wow, great question! There are a lot of things I like about it. I'm like Bigsister--a people watcher by nature. It's how I learn about people. I like different things about the different shows. Of the various reality shows, I like BB, Survivor, Mole and AR. All are actually "individual" games. In BB there is only one person who can be first place--same for Survivor and the Mole. With AR only 1 two person team can be first. Of these, AR and Mole seem to be able to be played as an individual game. With BB, if the HGs vote, alliances seem important. Same way with Survivor. Although it is an aspect of the game to be played well or bad--I'd just rather is wasn't a consideration. It seems even MB might agree to some degree if he has to throw a twist in so that the same old thing doesn't keep happening. I like AR and Mole for the fact that the best person is most likely to win. Your personality can't get you voted off. Not joining an alliance can't get you voted off. Good players are typically rewarded by staying in the game. These two are more what I would call a pure game. One thing that I'd like to see the Mole change to make it more interesting is to have the Mole win the portion of the 1 million that the group doesn't get in the pot. This gives the Mole more of an incentive to take a chance screwing things up. Of course the mole can say who they are, and nothing will change. It's just an issue of kicking off the person who gets the most questions wrong. For a really good game (but bad TV) a person should be rewarded for getting every question correct about the mole of done within the first 4 weeks. That way there is an incentive to take a chance with your test. Like I said, it could make for a short production, so it isn't likely to happen. With the Mole there are actually two games going on--the challenges for money, and the social interactions between challenges where the real work is done to figure out who the mole is. The latter generally makes for more boring TV, although is an important part of the game itself. They need to find a way to put a little more of those interactions into the show. AR has a bit of everything. Luck plays a part, knowledge does big time too. taking choices on the run, and taking chances. And you don't have to win every race to win the competition--you just need to not finish last. So luck plays less of a chance. For BB, I like the psychological aspect of living in close quarters to others, with seclusion and lack of activities as stressers. Unfortunately it gets diluted be giving phone calls, letters, trips outside the compound, etc. While great rewards, it reduces the affect of what the game was intended to do. I liked it better when it was less about alliances and more about the person you are--and how you reacted to the situation. Unfortunately, the lack of excitement means it's not good TV for those who need action going on. I think Survivor takes the most out of person, or maybe tests a person the most. Physically it seems very demanding. So much so that it becomes a huge mental stress as well. Lindsey is showing us how a physically strong person may end up having real problems with the game. Ethan, who is also physically in very good shape, seems to be handling the mental portion much better. Or Tom who got ripped from his nice tribe to a bunch of lazy folks who don't give a rip about anything but themselves. Yet Survivor isn't very much about the best person at surviving being the one to win. In the first half, weak people who screw up challenges are likely to get booted. Then after the merger, the ones most likely to win the challenges are targets. If Colby had not won every challenge, he wouldn't have made it to the final 2. Throw in alliances, and anyone can go for making the slightest wrong move (anyone remember Kel?) The way to help with this would be to make every challenge have a physical and a mental component to it. Also, being able to get food on their own would make it less about starving to the point they do. Have it in a place where food can be obtained, although it would take VERY hard work to get it. Then planning energy consumption as an individual and as a tribe comes into play. That is something that is true about real survival situations. For all the shows, make it so that for 1 year after they are done, they can't do anything much bigger than local appearances. That way those just looking to be on a show as spring board to the entertainment world are not going to apply. We get people who really want to compete just to compete. |
Sunshinemiss | Saturday, November 10, 2001 - 05:27 pm   Um, becasue they are "real"? No laugh tracks (hate 'em) and a good character study. Voyeurism- a peek into how the human psyche works, which absolutely fascinates me. We so seldom see all aspects of a persons character, good and bad- even our close friends can present themselves as they want to appear, and these shows by their very nature better portray the human foibles. Unpredictability- no scripts, (mostly anyway) we can see the thought processes behind each decision. I do enjoy the more thought-provoking shows the best- the Mole and Amazing race- Survivor is becoming an endurance experience in suffering and I find that painful to watch (although I do) Lastly (and by no means least) because of this fun place to discuss and dissect them all! |
Zeyna | Saturday, November 10, 2001 - 08:23 pm   "We so seldom see all aspects of a persons character, good and bad- even our close friends can present themselves as they want to appear" - That is so true Sunshinemiss. Other than BB, I've never been in a situation where I can independently observe someone's behaviour, without being involved in the "storyline". I have to say that the entire voting off process was not as interesting as their relationships to me. |
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