Poll: Get Real, TV: Another Rant

[wewontdie11]

At least then I wouldn't have to listen to some moron associates of mine blab on about how "Mario is so stupid lololol but he's not gonna get evicted!" or whatever. They should cull everybody who applies for Big Brother.

Was it wrong of me to immediately think of an italian plumber when I read that? Wait... Videogame Big Brother!

Oh good lord... you may well have stumbled upon the worst possible concept for a game ever.

Take it to EA they'll probably have a go at it.

 

[Johnn Johnston]

At least then I wouldn't have to listen to some moron associates of mine blab on about how "Mario is so stupid lololol but he's not gonna get evicted!" or whatever. They should cull everybody who applies for Big Brother.

Was it wrong of me to immediately think of an italian plumber when I read that? Wait... Videogame Big Brother!

Oh good lord... you may well have stumbled upon the worst possible concept for a game ever.

Take it to EA they'll probably have a go at it.

I hear Sonic Team are looking for work at the moment.

 

[Doug]

To be honest, I've never really liked Reality TV from day one, and it seems to have only gone downhill rapidly from there. About the only series I ever really watched was the first series of the celebratey version of big brother, when it had Jack Dee on. Mainly because it had Jack Dee on and was for charity.

Anyway, its ridiculus the amount of this 'Reality' TV there is now - I personally prefer good shows, of comedy, drama, historian drama, crime/detectives, sci-fi (well, some), documentaries, semi-documentaries (Mythbusters is great!), and virtually anything other that a program about half a dozen idiots getting humilated on national TV

 

[Shivari]

Also, it's way past the boom period of reality TV anyway. If you had complained five years ago I might have agreed there is a bit too much saturation, but today there are only a few around, and even fewer worth watching.

 

[Johnn Johnston]

Also, it's way past the boom period of reality TV anyway. If you had complained five years ago I might have agreed there is a bit too much saturation, but today there are only a few around, and even fewer worth watching.

Every summer, I find that I'm inundated with Reality TV, be it a talent show or a pseudo-documentary. Right now, there is less. In a few months, I'll be receiving my booster jab.

 

[Doug]

Agreed!

 

[wewontdie11]

So... could the people who would "rather _________ than watch reality TV" possibly give examples of any recent programs they found particularly objectionable? And, as an added bonus, could they provide a reason or two as to why they found the show(s) in question so unbearable? Without any justification for your disgust it seems as though you're just blindly regurgitating a long-standing counter-cultural trend. No doubt you also dislike Starbucks, hip-hop and George W Bush. =)

Mainly I think all reality TV is boring. Pretty much every single reality TV show I have attempted to view has had me reaching for the "Channel Guide" button in minutes. I have no interest in viewing ordinary boring people or z list "celebrities" do random and uninteresting tasks and then watching them argue with each other after about it for an hour of my life.

Some of the things that occur on reality TV are high ranking candidates in the "Little things that make you lose faith in humanity" thread as well, such as George Galloway, an outspoken politician, dressed up and acting like a cat, that woman on big brother who's name escapes me masturbating with a wine bottle and Ant and Dec's massive foreheads, all being broadcast on national TV. Is this what people will willingly watch?!

If you really enjoy reality TV that much, all power to you but to me the whole genre of TV seems immensely stupid.

Also I like hip-hop and Starbucks just to scupper your stereotype.

 

[AmericanWarMachine]

The only good reality show is Kenny vs. Spenny, imo.

 

[xishtarx]

I second that restraining order!

In my opinion reality shows got out of hand a few years ago. I live in Sweden, which has a relatively small population so I found it to be quite ludicrous when we got our fifth home-renovating reality show. How could it possibly be an audience for them all? And they I am not even counting all the other reality shows we got.

But the worst, imo, have to be that one when the contestants have to eat and do horrible things. Fear-factor or something? Yich!

 

[DannyDamage]

The focus is not meant to be on "random and uninteresting tasks" but rather the way in which regular people interact with each other during enhanced real-life situations. The best reality TV can offer a valuable reflection of our society's current values and norms, while at the same time giving the viewer an insight into their particular role in the aforementioned society. It also has the potential to be as entertaining as the best drama.

That's a fair enough point, and it holds up when talking about things like gardening and light home makeover shows. Sad thing is that 99.9% of people that get on reality shows NEED attention and act completely out of character and end up acting like pricks. They get on TV once, fuck some other half-celebrity or get caught snorting coke in a bar and then sell their pointless story to some shitty gossip magazine. Low and behold, another "star" is born. *cough* Jade Goody *cough*

That's why I think reality TV is like the devil's testicles.

 

[wewontdie11]

The focus is not meant to be on "random and uninteresting tasks" but rather the way in which regular people interact with each other during enhanced real-life situations. The best reality TV can offer a valuable reflection of our society's current values and norms, while at the same time giving the viewer an insight into their particular role in the aforementioned society. It also has the potential to be as entertaining as the best drama.

I honestly don't care how people interact with each other in simulated real life situations, if I wanted to see that I would simply go and talk to some real life people and interact with them personally or listen in on a friends conversation, rather than people who's lives have no bearing on mine screaming at each other about who took the last 2 cigarettes. I'd rather gain an insight into my role in society by being part of one not viewing one.

Plus as far as I'm concerned the validity of that argument is thrown out of the window when they purposefully search for the most oddball characters they can to use in their shows. When was the last time you saw a bloke with Tourette's Syndrome chatting with a page 3 girl in everyday life? I didn't think so. To understand a social dynamic the sample you use must be equally representative of the group you are studying. So it's no use saying Big Brother is providing vital insight into modern culture when you can't relate to most of the people in the house.

 

[LewsTherin]

I have a reality. It does not require a television.

Reality T.V., therefore, is for people without lives.

No life, yet alive=Zombie

Masses of people watching Reality Television and slowly losing their lives= ZOMBIE PLAGUE

Gentlemen, we have found the source of the infection.

 

[Vallen00]

There is no such thing as good reality television. There is only bad and worse, American idol being the worst. The reason being that it allows people with no talent to flood the market with crappy music. I'm not saying that they should stop making American Idol. I understand that a lot of people like it for some reason. I'm just saying that I will never listen to anyone who got famous through American Idol.

 

[DannyDamage]

I've just seen and advert for Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling..........Jesus Christ

 

[Johnn Johnston]

The producers of BB have an impossible task when it comes to choosing contestants: they're either discriminating against minorities or propagating a freakshow!

I was unaware the Tourette's Syndrome sufferers, Albinoes and cookie-obsessed Thai people were that vocal about being discriminated against. For those that don't know, each of those groups have been featured on a recent series of Big Brother.

 

[DC_Josh]

The only reason imo that reality tv has become so dire, is because they (producers/directors) have decided having normal people participating is boring so they go out of their way to recruit people who will purposefully get a rise out of their fellow contestants/the general public. Before then, it was pretty good. Watching the first few episodes of the X-Factor is always good for a laugh.

 

[Johnn Johnston]

The producers of BB have an impossible task when it comes to choosing contestants: they're either discriminating against minorities or propagating a freakshow!

I was unaware the Tourette's Syndrome sufferers, Albinoes and cookie-obsessed Thai people were that vocal about being discriminated against. For those that don't know, each of those groups have been featured on a recent series of Big Brother.

In the entire history of Big Brother there has been one blind person, one Tourette's sufferer and one albino. Out of about 150 housemates that seems like a fair level of representation. I don't understand your point.

Do you think there is a reason why in every series there is someone that is odd, be it the person's fault or not? The producers are cheaply trying to get views by running a freakshow, be it from people that are weird by themselves [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DIh9a1Bm0Zg], or by deliberately taking people that are going to conflict in verbal or violent ways[url]. It is a blatant attempt to rein in the crowds. The subtitle might as well be "Big Brother: We have people that you can look at in order to feel better about yourself."