I think some shows are good and some aren't. Its kinda crazy how the new milenium has started this whole change in television. My favorite show is Brat Camp. I wish I could be one of those counslers out in the desert helping kids. I think that would be an awesome job.
They're getting cookie-cutter. Originally designed to make up for the fact that the scriptwriters went on strike, the industry have found out that not only is it cheaper to bang out reality shows but the idea that you too could win $1M (an episode's salary for ONE actor in many top shows) is quite popular. There are realistically four kinds of reality shows, and they all blow. Type The First: Following people doing something interesting- e.g. COPS - a mobile cameraman chasing after a cop. Simple and very popular idea. Also you can lump in Trauma 911, Fire Rescue, America's Most Violent Police Video Car Cashes etc. Type The Second: Competition - as cookiecutter as they get. [number] contestants vie against each other to earn [nice prize] - and every week the contestants are set a task - the winners are immune from being kicked out, and get some kind of small prize, and the losing team ends up losing a member, who is booted out with great drama after the requisite everyone-turns-against-each-other-don't-pick-me-pick-her routine. But there's a surprise twist! At the end, the last two need the cooperation of the ones who were kicked out.... YAWN Type the Third: Let's show you the inner workings of cool job X! Yeah, just in case you ever wondered how tattoo parlors worked or motorcycles are built, do we have the show for you. Join us and the wacky crew at [shop] in which the gang of misfits prank each other, argue, sweat over some deadline, go deep sea fishing, and generally avoid showing you what would be otherwise interesting and ostensibly what the show is about e.g. the mechanics of tattooing or custom bike building. Usually they pick complete hacks who have zero skill at whatever they're doing, just to piss off far more talented folks who end up struggling to pay the rent and watching the TV guys parading around in H2s and wads of cash selling T-shirts, lighters, energy drinks, etc. Type the Fourth: B-list celebrity or former A-list celebrity takes you into his home to show you What It's Really Like To Be 80s star X. The success of same is a function of how interesting the star is. Only Ozzy Osbourne has ever turned out to be interesting as a human being. Engineered attempts to make others the same way (Anna Nicole, Bobby Brown, Tommy Lee etc) have failed.
I like reality TV. I'm like addicted to it. I really liked Hells Kitch and I got into watching the biggest loser when it was on air. I must admit I watch the real world. My favorite season was probably Hawii or Maimi.
I like the old-style reality shows, such as Candid Camera and Real People. I'm not sure if they are reality shows by today's standards. I call them 'slice of life' shows. Those shows still took some writing and ingenuity. They were light-hearted and focused more on humor, as opposed to people being at each other's throats as is so popular today. I'd watch reruns Alan Fundt and his show before I ever allowed myself to get bored to death by Anna Nicole. .
I kinda like Wife Swap. Especially the American one, because well they're American, which makes it all the more extreme/amusing. (I'm British of course) Watched Hell Kitchen when it was first on, because my parents did. That was pretty cool. Otherwise nah don't care for the genre, as a rule TV is supposed to be escapism. So what's the deal with making it 'reality', you have reality all the rest of the time.
