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Post by Kimmer on Jan 27, 2009 13:11:35 GMT -6
If you watch any reality shows, which ones do you watch?
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Post by Kimmer on Jan 27, 2009 13:16:29 GMT -6
I voted "other" simply because I have so many conflicting views on these shows. I do watch a couple of them such as "Dog the Bounty Hunter." (I don't know why, but people who know me are amazed that I watch that show!!) But, on the other hand, I think it's getting ridiculous. I recently saw a promo for a reality show about a family of exterminators. I have no desire to watch people kill bugs and rodents so I'll definitely pass on that one. I'm just amazed that there are so many reality shows on the air. That seems to be the main trend in programming.
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Post by Midge on Jan 27, 2009 16:47:12 GMT -6
I used to like "Survivor," but I think it has gone on far too long. My favorite reality shows are on the Food Channel and Discovery Health. I love "Unwrapped," which takes you inside food manufacturing plants and explains the history of our favorite foods. I especially like documentary-type programs such as "Code Blue," which is set inside various emergency rooms around the U.S. and follows the doctors as they treat urgent cases that come in. I also enjoyed the "House" series on public television (1900 House, Colonial House, etc.) in which families lived as their ancestors did. "Bridezillas" is one of my guilty pleasures.
I voted "too many of them" because a lot of the reality shows today seem silly, gimmicky or pointless. I am not a fan of shows like "The Biggest Loser," "American Idol" or "Dancing With The Stars."
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Post by hummingbird on Jan 28, 2009 12:31:44 GMT -6
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Post by Kimmer on Jan 28, 2009 13:36:32 GMT -6
Midge, I also loved those "house" shows on PBS, they were interesting. The only one that I wasn't crazy about was the one with that English family (I think that one was "The 1900 House?") mainly because the mom got a bit too carried away by her "fame" and it showed. I thought the life of a maid in those days had to be horrific.
I also like "Unwrapped" and shows that show how to "do" things.
I'm not a big TV fan, but I've been watching shows like the ones about lifeguards on TRU-TV on Mon. nights. For some reason, I never watched "Baywatch" but the real thing is pretty exciting! LOL
I've watched "Dancing With the Stars" since it first aired, but the latest season was quite boring. I heard ABC was making improvements for the new season, I hope so or else I'll probably give up on watching it.
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Post by Hedvig on Jan 28, 2009 15:33:13 GMT -6
I'm nostalgic for the day when Survivor (called "Robinson" in Sweden) was the only reality show on TV. Everyone watched it, it was something we all shared. I can't muster the interest to follow a reality show now, there's too much constructed drama, too many archetypes. I did enjoy West End Star, a show where the winner got to sing in West End, London. The jury members were nice and gave constructive criticism. The singers were mostly very good, so I got to see some nice musical performances.
My answer is, there are too many of them. The good ones are all right, but there's too much garbage out there.
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Post by spruance on Jan 30, 2009 13:07:43 GMT -6
Can I have two votes?
I hate them and I don't watch them. To my mind they are just a way for TV companies to fill air time on the cheap. Personally I would rather watch the test card.
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Post by Midge on Jan 30, 2009 17:11:54 GMT -6
Can I have two votes? I hate them and I don't watch them. To my mind they are just a way for TV companies to fill air time on the cheap. Personally I would rather watch the test card. That's funny, Brian! ![8-)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/cool.png) It is much cheaper to produce reality programs than dramas. I don't mind the good ones, but there are a lot of time-wasters out there.
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Post by Larry's 66 Diner on Jan 31, 2009 8:08:44 GMT -6
I think they're ALL time-wasters, but that's just my own opinion. ![:-[](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/embarrassed.png) Since our opinions are being asked, I'm simply being honest! ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png) What ever happened to good old programming like The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie, as well as good old crime drama series, such as Barnaby Jones and Hawaii Five-O? It shows those days don't exist any more! ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png)
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Post by Kimmer on Jan 31, 2009 16:35:47 GMT -6
That's why I tend to watch those 2 channels I mentioned quite awhile ago, they show lots of classic TV shows. I don't watch a LOT of TV, but that's what I tend to wtch. My current fave is "The Fugitive." Unfortunately, they only show it once a week!! ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png) I think the reality programs are cheaper to produce which is why there are so many of them. It makes sense because they don't have to pay stars those huge salaries, etc. I think they lose many viewers too because I, for one, don't watch the vast majority of them.
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Post by diane on Feb 4, 2009 16:32:18 GMT -6
I voted "they are alright". Over here they have a lot of "garden makeover" shows which I hate. One is advertised as giving the most deserving families in Australia a spectacular garden. My view is that if you own your own house you are at least ahead of people that don't. In another show (that is now axed!!!) a team of gardeners were sent to different countries to bring back ideas!!! to use in the gardens they were creating for people. Herb said how much would that show cost , how extravagant!!! With shows like "The Biggest Loser" ect I find it interesting how people's characters and personalities come out under pressure. There always seems to be one extrordinarily nice person that is voted out almost instantly. I can remember seeing a show, similar to the one kimmer was refering to. 3 couples went back to the West and had to live like pioneers. There was an African American father and son, a Californian family of high rollers and a Southern family from a little country town. The interesting thing I remember was that it was the wealthy Californian family that came across as the most likable (at the end). The mother from the Southern family came across as pretty dislikable - even her own family got fed up with her. (I think at the end, you know when they come back in 3 months to see what they had learned from the experiance - they had separated - the husband opting to stay in that little western town and work with horses.)
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Post by dvdjunkie on Feb 5, 2009 23:53:42 GMT -6
When they were "true" reality shows, most of them were pretty good, but now that most of them, including "Survivor" are so well-scripted, they are very hard to watch. The only two shows that I watch, and I don't really think they are reality shows, but that is how they are listed in places, is "American Idol" and "Dancing With The Stars".
I voted there are too many of them to be enjoyable.
One of the worst on television is "Big Brother". How that one stays on the air, I will never know.
;D
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Post by Midge on Feb 6, 2009 4:16:38 GMT -6
I can remember seeing a show, similar to the one kimmer was refering to. 3 couples went back to the West and had to live like pioneers. There was an African American father and son, a Californian family of high rollers and a Southern family from a little country town. The interesting thing I remember was that it was the wealthy Californian family that came across as the most likable (at the end). The mother from the Southern family came across as pretty dislikable - even her own family got fed up with her. (I think at the end, you know when they come back in 3 months to see what they had learned from the experiance - they had separated - the husband opting to stay in that little western town and work with horses.) Diane, I think that was Pioneer House. I think it was the best of the House series. There was a man whose fiancee came to town to marry him, and they had an authentic old-fashioned ceremony. In those days brides didn't wear white gowns; they were typically married in their best dresses. I remember that the bride was a bit disappointed in that, but the ceremony was touching and later the entire community had an outdoor reception for them with lots of home-cooked goodies. Another thing I remember is the part when the wealthy California family returned to their brand-new mega mansion. They were all rattling around in that gigantic house looking almost bewildered. The physical closeness they had in the pioneer cabin that brought them together emotionally, but you could see that they were going to go their separate ways and become spoiled and self-centered again.
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Post by tclion on Feb 8, 2009 11:59:38 GMT -6
I think they are as fake as it gets. I can't see people doing these things unless they are granted some kind of money compensation.
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Post by annavandenhazel on Feb 10, 2009 15:01:33 GMT -6
I only voted that "I don't watch them". It wouldn't be fair to say I hate them because I've never even seen them, but I don't care for the premise of most. And I don't see how contest programs like "American Idol" or "Dancing with the Stars" fall in the "reality" category, that title belongs to shows where people are doing normal everyday things - how many of those people dance or sing like a professional when they're walking down the street or shopping, LOL! I always get irritated by magazine articles about television in general where they criticize older sitcoms because they're not realistic: Real horses don't talk like Mr. Ed; there are no women with powers like Samantha or Jeannie; real women don't wear fancy dresses like Donna Reed to clean house, etc. We know that - those programs were intended as ENTERTAINMENT! If I want reality I'll watch the evening news, LOL! EDIT ADD-ON: Why did I see a banner advertising auditions for Survivor while I was writing this? ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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