Fed up with "reality competition" shows...

[SWriverstone]

If you haven't noticed, cable channels (particularly Bravo) are becoming saturated with knockoff fashion model/fashion designer competition shows (e.g. "America's Next Top Model," "Project Runway," "Be a Super Model," etc.)

I've been bombarded with these because I have a 15-year-old daughter who is obsessed with these shows. I watched a few at first ('cause I work at the dining room table in sight of the TV in the family room) and found them vaguely interesting for a few minutes...but now they're just absurd.

It's a pathetic statement (one of many) about the state of our country when you see people literally crying on TV because they didn't win the supermodel contest or their stupid clothes didn't win "top designer." Can we all say together, "Get a grip people! They're frickin' CLOTHES."

Even more pathetic is the complete lack of creativity on the part of cable television content creators. We get one stupid "reality" show...and now every channel's GOT to have a lineup of a dozen different "reality" shows. Everyone follows the same format, regardless of whether it's an international race for bickering couples..."surviving" on an island...cooking a gourmet meal in 30 minutes...or becoming a supermodel.

It's all the same old bogus "drama," with contestants lining up and being judged by supposed "pros" (of dubious distinction themselves) who pick them apart. Then (even worse) we get to listen to the pathetic, narcissistic ramblings of the idiots/bimbos/jocks/couples on the shows explaining the deep inner meaning of their lives and work.

Yeah yeah yeah...I know...I don't have to watch it. And I don't anymore (even though my daughter does). But just simply knowing this crap exists and legions of brainless automatons actually love it really bums me out.   (Yep---I'm calling my daughter a brainless automaton, at least when she's watching this tripe!)

Scott

[Bombauer]

Cheap shows to produce, and you don't need a team of writers that'll go on strike!

I'd throw the stupid motorcycle assembly shows into that unwanted pile as well.

[highside]

I mostly agree with you, but go watch Top Chef and you can see how actual professionals behave in this context. Its refreshing, but also not as "entertaining", because they are real adults who are used to resolving their differences and working together.

[Flyer]

...They're frickin' CLOTHES."

See, this is why nudity is such a great concept!
Let's see a truly original TV show featuring nudes.
Laff-a-minute I tell ya...

Pull the breaker for the TV, tell 'em it's broken, and you're not going to replace it.
Your daughter's future depends on your lies.  

[jude]

Don't you own a motorcycle?  Go for a ride or change the oil or sumpin'.

[bizarro]

I've detested the genre from day one. Hate 'em.

[Walker]

I've detested the genre from day one. Hate 'em.

I do too, with one notable exception:



Not sure why I can stand this show, same boring format and artificially created drama, but every episode usually has a pretty decent bout at the end.

[Penforhire]

I agree the idea of the Genre sucks.  So why am I so entertained by them (Top Chef, Project Runway, Hell's Kitchen)?  

Gives my wife and I something we can watch together.  Other than this genre our Tivo habits don't overlap much!

[keystonejenks]

Did you hear about the new one coming out this winter called "Pimp My V-Strom?"  It should be a hit.

[Bombauer]

My fav. reality show is Mythbusters, source of the classic quote:
"I reject your reality and substitute my own!"

[Open Sore]

The few that I like: Hell's Kitchen/Kitchen Nightmare (chef Ramsey cracks me up), and Kid Nation.

I can't stand any of the fashion nonsense.  The g/f watches these and they are just so horrible I squirm from watching them.  I can't stand any of the people at all.  They are just SO FULL OF SHIT.  They are wearing and making clothes the avg person will never ever where anywhere, what is the point.  It's awful.

I've never been able to tolerate Survivor or Amazing Race.

There is just a lack of creativity anymore.  Most of TV today is a rip-off of other stuff, not much of anything new and different.

[goldylocks303]

The dating ones are getting nuts too.  I keep asking myself, "do all the people on I Love New York realize that the entire world thinks they're idiots?"  How do all these people not notice the producers intentionally making the contestants look bad.  I did enjoy Rock of Love though, but mostly because I really like skanky rocker chicks.  

eD

[SWriverstone]

Mythbusters is great---but that's not in the same category as all this other reality crap. Now, if every Mythbusters episode was a contest to see who could bust the myth in the most convincing way...and the contest was staged in rounds, where one Mythbuster-Wannabe was eliminated at the end of each round...THEN it would be like all the others!   (They almost did this once when they had some teams come in to prove something about a mirror catching something on fire...or something like that...)

Scott

[SWriverstone]

I agree the idea of the Genre sucks.  So why am I so entertained by them (Top Chef, Project Runway, Hell's Kitchen)?  

Gives my wife and I something we can watch together.  Other than this genre our Tivo habits don't overlap much!

Yeah, that's why I watched a few episodes of "America's Next Top Model," because I had fun watching it with my daughter and both of us making faces and bashing the stupid chicks on the show and cheering the one lone girl who actually isn't full of herself and seems sort of modest.  

Scott

[goldylocks303]

 bashing the stupid chicks on the show and cheering the one lone girl who actually isn't full of herself and seems sort of modest.  

That's actually part of my problem with it, the asshat always wins and the person who is actually cool enough to be considered human gets eliminated.  I guess that's the 'reality' of it.  I'll stick to fictional movies where the good guys win.  

eD

[jwhite518]

OK I'll fess up. I like some reality TV. Kid Nation is a fresh one. It's very derivative of Survivor, but adapted for kids. The refreshing part is that the stars really are kids, not actor wannabe's. The challenges are made up but the social dynamics are very real. You wind up rooting for some (Lauren) and really disliking others (Taylor), and it's not because of any script or cooked up crud - you're looking at the real people.

Amazing Race was interesting the first couple seasons I watched it, but the current season is just boring. Same old crap over and over again. Phil is so stiff, I've never liked him. But it's Tivo'd and I watch it halfway with my wife.

Survivor - the granddaddy of them all. Still on the air. Still somewhat interesting. I think Jeff Probst is one of the reasons it's a good show. He makes great comments and knows how to draw some good comments out of the contestants. Nobody really thinks it's about being stranded on a tropical island and surviving on grubs and leaves. The producers aren't going to let them starve. It's about getting along in a group and playing the social game so you can outlast everyone else and win.

OK - who's waiting for Lost to come back on?

[highside]

What I REALLY hate are the new FAKE reality shows. You can see them on cable and MTV (IIRC). Usually dating shows or "dramas" that are filmed as if they were reality shows, but with obviously scripted dialogue and editing that clearly requires multiple takes of a scene.

[Hondagrl]

I've detested the genre from day one. Hate 'em.

+ another one.....
Geez, enough already of people crying on TV...isn't that what soap opera's are for (not that I watch them either...)  Now....CSI.....that's a show I can watch...preferable Las Vegas or New York....

[Bombauer]

Mythbusters is great---but that's not in the same category as all this other reality crap. Now, if every Mythbusters episode was a contest to see who could bust the myth in the most convincing way.

 Well actually there was a great show in england called Trash Heap Challenge, repackaged in the US as Junk Yard Wars that was kinda like what you describe!  It was great - two teams battle it out to construct (usually) a vehicle to perform some kind of task...really great show but it disappeared.

Yeah those fake 'fake' MTV shows are nuts!

"Hey Zoe"

"Hey Porsche"

"Does Taylor, like, like me?"

"Like I dunno"

"Like he's hot"

"Like I dunno right?"

And it goes on and on and on and on and on

[traveler]

I don't watch that crap unless they have some smokin' babes running around naked.

[Allan]

My fav. reality show is Mythbusters, source of the classic quote:
"I reject your reality and substitute my own!"

I personally like "Time For Science!" I don’t think it’s the wording just Adams enthusiastic delivery.

But I to dont watch any of the reality competition shows. I watch mostly "geek tv" Discovery, History, Science Channel and all there child channels.

[jwhite518]

I don't watch that crap unless they have some smokin' babes running around naked.

Survivor is usually good for one or two of those. This season's silicone queen got voted out fairly early.

[cbsnbiker]

There are two simple answers to this dilemma:

• ignore reality shows
• don't have children.

In my case, check and check.  

 Well actually there was a great show in england called Trash Heap Challenge, repackaged in the US as Junk Yard Wars that was kinda like what you describe!  It was great - two teams battle it out to construct (usually) a vehicle to perform some kind of task...really great show but it disappeared.

I liked Junkyard Wars and I like (sometimes) Mythbusters. I know a few people who have appeared on both shows.

[scotteroni]

The thing about reality shows is that people turn in to see the drama.

Things that create drama:

Choosing  people to be on the show with conflicting personalities that are most likely to cause it.

Editing footage to get people to like or dislike someone.

People on the show that act or say crazy things to get screen time and hopefully job offers after the show is over.

Viewers will tune in every week if they have a vested interest in the person that they like and want to see win.

There are so many reality shows because they are cheaper to produce and you can charge more for advertising if your show has more viewers.  TV shows are really just products to sell advertising nothing else.  I do like Kid Nation though. I just feel sorry for the kid's that appear to look selfish or prima donna's. They may not be able to hand the public's perception of them when it's over.

[Allan]

"Scrapheap Challenge" the original UK show that was branded as Junkyard Wars was good. Once they brought it to America they started messing with the format and showing more drama and I lost intrest. The original show had a bit of drama mostly centered around the deadline but was more about the build and the competition.

OT: Another BBC show that sucked ass when remade in the US, Coupling.

There are two simple answers to this dilemma:

• ignore reality shows
• don't have children.

In my case, check and check.  



I liked Junkyard Wars and I like (sometimes) Mythbusters. I know a few people who have appeared on both shows.

[jwhite518]

 I do like Kid Nation though. I just feel sorry for the kid's that appear to look selfish or prima donna's. They may not be able to hand the public's perception of them when it's over.

I guess they'll just have to "deal with it."  

[panther289]

TV in general has been disappointing to me. Moto racing, mythbusters, good eats, how it's made, Forensic Files and a little football are about it. Reality shows just don't get my attention.

[Allan]

The new show I'm really into this year is Journeyman. Its ratings are drooping though and I fear it will be a one season wonder like my last years favorite Studio 60. At least House and 24 are still going strong!

[Walker]

TV in general is a colossal waste of time.  Mostly for me it just provides some comforting glow and background noise to go to sleep by.  Except for Soccer of course  

[RickC1957]

The last thing I want to do with my precious free time is watch TV Nothing but crap anyway..I even canceled the speed channel....PINKS lame ass show....Super Bikes....lame ass show....Pimp my ride...or whatever....lame ass show. Reality TV = garbage. Even Survivor Man and Man VS Wild...I lost interest in 20 minutes. I figured I want to DO....not be a spectator

If I watch TV its the Discover Channel, History Channel, Science Channel or the National Geographic Channel. The 6 part series on Mars was pretty good.