Reality television has been a staple of the American viewership since the Real World blasted onto the scene in 1992. The fascination with how these people act on a day to day basis is crazy, I understand why people do enjoy it though, it portrays almost every aspects of human life, except for the normalcy and plainness of day to day life. I believe that is the allure of reality television many people watch these because they find interest in the ridiculousness of the situations these people get themselves into and see a brief action packed one hour of television because they find their own lives plain to a certain extent. Personally, I am not big into reality television so I decided I would watch an episode of the most rediculous reality show out there which is Basketball Wives, and it was just awesome it was just yelling and fighting for an hour, it was so entertaining. It's just like when people say it is like a trainwreck awful but you cannot look away, I knew what I was watching wasn't quality television but at the same time I was enamored at what would happen next.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCq3OxGT65c
This is a clip from the episode I watched, there is really no character depth in this show and although I will never watch another episode of Basketball Wives, it was really entertaining but there is no way I would watch another episode.
I've seen this show before. Even though I love reality TV, I can't stand this one. I think when there is too much drama is just becomes boring to watch. And like you said, there is no real character depth (which most reality shows don't have anyway) but I still want to have a little bit of something to grasp on to when watching these kinds of shows. This one in is the series of reality shows that they are quickly pumping out because as soon as they come on the air they are removed, so I have a feeling that this one will be gone soon. But another one will definitely take it's place. This is a craze that is just going to keep growing and growing. I just hope that we don't get to the point where we watch actual people fight and die for entertainment.
ReplyDeleteI think you brought up a great point Matt, in that even though we might believe a reality show to be ridiculous or disturbing we choose to watch it. No matter how much you want to look away, you don't. I think the reason is that fighting, or violence, or whatever it is, it keeps us entertained. Today television viewers want excitement, and as a society thats what people look for. Everyone stives to watch the show that keeps them the most entertained. As Megan said, I hope that this pattern of reality television and excitement lead to watching people die for our enjoyment, such as the Hunger Games displays. It is scary to know that it could come to that.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Blake here. We acknowledge that this TV is disturbing, but at the same time we are, like you said, "enamored" with it. Why is this? What do we get out of it? What is our enjoyment as viewers?
ReplyDeleteI enjoy watching The Real World and I am not sure if I can pin point exactly one reason why. It is entertaining to watch every aspect of someones life on televsion, unscripted that is. Because reality shows are not acted out it gives people a sense of connectiong with the characters. But I do not like watching people get killed. I think that is sick and I cannot watch movies like Saw or Hostile because it grosses me and I do not find killing people entertaining in the least bit.
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