Reality TV

[Armistead]

On most forums the overwhelming majority of people state they hate reality TV, yet it thrives. Worse, we now have fake reality, where they fake filming a fake show.... I really miss the old History Channel.

Anyway, is there one reality show that you watch or is worth watching?

[Fubar2Niner]

I have enough reality going on in my own lounge most nights mate. I can do without someone else's, if you get my drift. Grand-kids, kids, dogs, missus........... :haha: .... Forgot to mention, not necessarily in that order ;)

[frau kaleun]

I'm not sure any more where to draw the line.

Is Top Gear a reality show? Cuz I love that.

I've also watched things like Project Runway and Top Chef on a regular basis, although they're not Must See TV for me any more. Yeah there's always interpersonal drama going on, but mostly I enjoy shows like that for the element of watching someone think up something and then make it. Also I usually learn stuff about how to do those things, which I enjoy.

But stuff like Big Brother, Survivor, The Bachelor, American Idol... nope. Never have watched them (by choice) and never will. In fact the glut of reality shows back when they first started coming out is what made me stop watching "regular" broadcast television. I can remember a time when I'd turn on the tv and cycle through NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX to see what was on. And I can distinctly remember a time when I did that several nights in a row only to find almost nothing but reality shows like the ones noted above and whatever else they were putting on the air during that long writers' strike a while back.

At that point I started hitting the cable channels as my primary options when channel surfing and just never went back, sadly many of those have since succumbed to the "reality craze" and most of what's usually shown on my old cable favorites is now of no interest either. And yes I'M LOOKING AT YOU, *cough* HISTORY *cough* CHANNEL. :stare:

[Fubar2Niner]

Kind of reminds you of Springsteens song; 57 Channels and nothing on :yep:

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Depends on what you mean. If you mean Big Brother, Jersey Shore, or Survivor then no. Shows such as Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, Amazing Race, Idols (our version of American Idol) I have watched previously.

Also if you consider such shows which follow professionals such as police, fire/rescue/EMS personnel (Pelastajat, Poliisit etc...) - then yes I do watch reality shows although not very often.

[BrucePartington]

I've given up tv altogether, for the reasons mentioned above. Still have it, but it's up for sale. The things I like I get from the internet.
Occasionally I see some tv if it's on while I walk into a bar, but most times I look away, since now it's the same thing on and on and on, back to back. Soap operas, pseudo reality shows, silly contests, more soap opera....
Not to sound old-fashioned, but somehow I get the impression the 80's and early 90's were probably the best time for tv. Quality started to glide down after that.
As some will remember, I do have the complete Sherlock Holmes tv series with Jeremy Brett, which I enjoy every other year. Out of nostalgia I also recently found myself watching Lovejoy (Ian Mcshane). I love the 'Tinker' character.
Ironically I discovered the latest/last Star Trek tv franchise - Enterprise - on youtube. It never aired here. And because of that illegal upload I accidentally found, I actually ordered the complete series from Amazon.

When I spent a week in London in 2007 I did enjoy the quality of public tv - BBC - which was a nice break away from Portuguese public tv. I suspect I wouldn't mind the 'crazy' UK tv tax everyone is talking about, if it meant better quality tv than what I have available here.

Yes, I know, the grass is always greener on the other side:D

[Sailor Steve]

I've never had a desire to watch a "Reality" show, because they don't reflect reality. Well, there was one exception, which pitted real military and police specialists in simulated combat scenarios - Combat Missions, from 2002.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_Missions

And no, Top Gear is not a "reality" show, it's just real people doing what they love. Nor is any show that follows real people in their real lives. Those are documentaries. "Reality" shows feature people competing for a prize. Their real personalities play a part, but they're not doing real things.

[Ducimus]

On most forums the overwhelming majority of people state they hate reality TV, yet it thrives. Worse, we now have fake reality, where they fake filming a fake show.... I really miss the old History Channel.

Anyway, is there one reality show that you watch or is worth watching?


It's not just the history channel, Nat Geo's gotten in on the act of making fake reality shows too. Doomsday castle is a good example. Just the ad's of it make me want to vomit, so I refuse to watch it. Oh and let's not forget Omish Mafia. REALLY? :har:

Personally, i think 95% of reality shows are a bunch of crap, and that's being generous. About the only one i would watch right now if it was still playing is Dual Survival.

History Channel's gone, and is probably never coming back. Your best bet is to selectively watch specific programs from Military channel, Discovery , Nat Geo and "H2" with a DVR and just avoid the reality TV spam altogether.

[Armistead]

I enjoyed Survivor the first years, had a friend get to play in Australia. I can't get into much anymore, but I'll watch it from time to time.

I find it amazing that fake reality took over TV and continues to grow. I think it's scary that Americans have become so shallow that even their reality shows are scripted and fake. The acting is horrible as well as the shows.

Yep, I do watch the Military channel, they still show a lot of CW era stuff.

[Ducimus]

I find it amazing that fake reality took over TV and continues to grow. I think it's scary that Americans have become so shallow that even their reality shows are scripted and fake. The acting is horrible as well as the shows.


My wife and I joke around that we're going to start "doomsday prepping" for the incoming Idiocracy. When advocates of any stripe say that Americans are asleep, I would point my finger to reality TV shows, or frivious crap like American Idol. We might as well be watching "Ow my balls" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAg1r6zw7Bg).

[soopaman2]

My last favorite reality show was Deadliest catch.

Even that in the past year or two has become manufactured.

They raped Capt. Phils death to play up his drug addict son. Kept him around for TV value, despite the fact he had nothing to do with crab fishing.

Disgusting.

To this day I refuse to eat any crabs. I cannot eat something a man died to get, at a cheapo price.

(fyi 10.99 $ a pound for leg clusters here)

I catch my own, smaller but safer. (Softshell Bluecrabs rock)

[Armistead]

My wife and I joke around that we're going to start "doomsday prepping" for the incoming Idiocracy. When advocates of any stripe say that Americans are asleep, I would point my finger to reality TV shows, or frivious crap like American Idol. We might as well be watching "Ow my balls" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAg1r6zw7Bg).

If you do, try to get on that prepping show so I'll know where you are and what your plans are to defeat me. Stock up on plenty booze.

[Armistead]

My last favorite reality show was Deadliest catch.

Even that in the past year or two has become manufactured.

They raped Capt. Phils death to play up his drug addict son. Kept him around for TV value, despite the fact he had nothing to do with crab fishing.

Disgusting.

To this day I refuse to eat any crabs. I cannot eat something a man died to get, at a cheapo price.

(fyi 10.99 $ a pound for leg clusters here)

I catch my own, smaller but safer. (Softshell Bluecrabs rock)


My wife loves Deadliest Catch, can't figure it, she hates fishing and the men are ugly.

[Ducimus]

If you do, try to get on that prepping show so I'll know where you are and what your plans are to defeat me. Stock up on plenty booze.

Huh? :06: I guess you watch American Idol or something. :doh:

[Herr-Berbunch]

The first round of the beginnings of reality TV (as we now know it) was fine, it was a new experience and it was full of people with good intentions. The second round declined into being full of self-publicising, get-rich-quick wannabes and it seemingly gets worse every time. :dead:

And I never watch live telly, always record it and watch it later to skip any ads. The exception may be BBC's coverage of F1 - but they don't do ads anyway. And I don't watch any reality shows. Ever.

[BossMark]

I'll be blunt and straight to the point, its crap cheap and nasty :yep:

[the_tyrant]

Well I mean, do sports count as reality shows?

I actually found a few reality shows/fake reality shows that I like.

Gordon Ramsey is like my favorite TV personality, I also enjoy Moonshiners from Discovery, and a bit of pro wrestling too!

Also Japanese reality shows are AMAZING!

I love this show: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasuke_(TV_series)#SASUKE_29_.28RISING_2.29

Imagine wipeout but where the stuff is actually difficult!

[vienna]

When they had the last Writer's Guild contract negotiations, one of the sticking points was the status of the writers on all the so-called reality shows. The producers and networks would very much like to maintain the false image that, aside form the hosts' annnouncements and such, everything else is "unwritten" and spontaneous. The amazing thing is the networks and producers really believe any intelligent viewers won't be able to detect the staging and manipulation going on behind the scenes. The writers of reality shows are treated like they are shameful secrets to be kept out of sight lest the public finds out their favorite shows are just about a staged as staged can be (gasp!)...

Maybe someone should do a reality show on how reality shows are produced...


<O>

[Red October1984]

I watch all the Military Channel shows except for that dumb Nazis vs Aliens crap that comes on every once in a while.

I like Sons of Guns on Discovery...but considering the gun control situation, it's taken a hit in ratings. Every new season that passes is like "Are they gonna do another one? Maybe? No? Darn...wait...Yes? Okay...another season"

110% of reality shows are staged. There is no TV show that is not scripted. Even the CBS Evening News needs ratings (sad that they won't just die like lots of other shows nobody likes).

Reality TV is all about ratings.

And I can't stand Duck Dynasty now because of all the Bandwagon-Country-People who buy a hat and some boots and are automatically rednecks. "Look at me! I have a duck call...I duck hunt all the time from the roof of my apartment in Kansas City"

Reality TV makes me laugh because it's all completely fake. All of it.

Daniel Tosh said once that "Survivor is a game for us. We don't have our cell phones...this is hard!" :rotfl2:

TV sucks....if it weren't for SNL and a select few others, I'd just stop watching.

This marks the end of my Reality TV rant...

You stay classy, San Diego.

[Platapus]

I watch my news in the morning when I get up and getting dressed and I like to watch Top Gear while I am cooking dinner. Other than that I don't watch TV. Does not look like I am missing much.

Do people really spend their evenings just watching TV?

Don't they realize that there are ships that need sinkin? :arrgh!:

[Jimbuna]

Gave up on reality a few years ago and only watch live sports and current affairs now.

[Sailor Steve]

I have stopped watching. There are a couple of shows I like and keep up with on Amazon Prime.

[Dowly]

Think there's only one reality show I've seen all episodes of and even that was
softcore porno. :hmmm: (No, not Big Brother :haha:)

[Herr-Berbunch]

Think there's only one reality show I've seen all episodes of and even that was
softcore porno. :hmmm: (No, not Big Brother :haha:)

And even that's scripted.

Did he even test the washing machine afterwards? :nope:

[fireftr18]

I watched a couple episodes of survivor when it first came out. I saw it for what it was and never got interested. I watch American Idol once in a while, it is actually entertaining when they get into the final stages. I could care less about the rest. There was one, it didn't do well, it was cancelled after a couple shows. It was called "Love Cruise." The point was to get singles together on a small cruise boat and see what happens. After seeing the previews, it got my curiosity going, I had to at least watch the first episode. It turned out, it was filmed on the same boat my wife and I spent our honymoon. It took about five minutes to confirm that (thankfully).

[mapuc]

I call all these Reality TV for IB(Danish) or in English PR(Predictive relieving)

Wondering how many is going to follow the the participants when they join Mars One on it's way to Mars
(That's a big IF they manage to make it so far)

Markus

[Dowly]

And even that's scripted.

Yeah, probably, but there were tits!

The show was called "7 Lives Exposed".

[the_tyrant]

Yeah, probably, but there were tits!

The show was called "7 Lives Exposed".

Have you seen this one? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenna%27s_American_Sex_Star

[Jimbuna]

Have you seen this one? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenna%27s_American_Sex_Star

Yeah, you won that episode as I recall :)

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/9118/y295.gif (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/18/y295.gif/)

[Dowly]

Have you seen this one? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenna%27s_American_Sex_Star

Nope, never seen that.

As my former favorite porn site used to say: "I shall download and have a look." :salute:

[Wolferz]

Real life is much more entertaining than those scripted reality TV shows.:hmmm:

[Cybermat47]

Worse, we now have fake reality, where they fake filming a fake show....

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Foxtrot Oscar Alfa Bravo?

[Red October1984]

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Foxtrot Oscar Alfa Bravo?

We read you Lima Charlie, 4-7. Presence of fake "fake" tv is confirmed in your AO.

[Oberon]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Foab_blast.jpg

[Red October1984]

FINALLY SOMEBODY TOOK OUT THAT DANG ABC FAMILY CHANNEL! :O:

[Wolferz]

Truman is very proud to have been the vanguard.:O: