Please stop: The reality shows are getting worse.

[eliza61]

I realize for the networks reality shows are a gold mine. super cheap to make and some do generate high ratings but now we are just scraping the bottom of the barrel.

The latest offering comes from ABC and is called "Dating in the Dark". The premise: Blind dates. I mean literally. contenstants are blind folded, led into a room and they have to "date" blindfolded.

Am I asking to much? Just some thought into what goes onto the screen.

 

[happygirl]

I watched this it wasn't that bad.

 

[ProudMomTo3Boys]

I watched it too and actually liked it.

 

[etoiles]

I liked it too! I started a thread about it last week and had quite a few responses!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I saw an ad for that awhile back. I mean it is like they are taking SNL skits and turning them into reality shows.

How about, "I survived a Japanese Game Show"? Anyone see that one?

 

[of the seas]

I watched this it wasn't that bad.

That's what I thought!

I thought it was stupid when I first heard of it, but there was nothing else to watch after The Bachelorette, so I watched. I loved the ending when they have to decide if they want to keep seeing the other person. It makes you wonder what you would do in that situation.

 

[omghidanielle]

I said years and years ago, when this whole reality tv business began, that I'm sure that TV entertainment as we know it will be dead once they come up with "Musical Chairs: The Reality Show"

Now that I think about it now, we might be inching closer and closer to it.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I don't watch any reality shows.

They've put too many friends out of business. If you want good TV to return, I suggest everyone else stop watching them now.

 

[Free4Life11]

I don't watch any reality shows.

They've put too many friends out of business. If you want good TV to return, I suggest everyone else stop watching them now.

I happy to enjoy Reality TV and have no plans to stop watching it. I find it fun and entertaining. And so do a lot of other people who watch TV. I mean isn't American Idol one of the highest rated TV shows?

 

[KSchwagg86]

I watched this it wasn't that bad.

yea i actually really liked it heh

 

[bicker]

I don't watch any reality shows. They've put too many friends out of business. If you want good TV to return, I suggest everyone else stop watching them now.

Well, I've seen a lot of really bad scripted dramas, too, so by that logic, we should stop watching scripted drama, too, if we want "good TV" to return.

I think there are both good and bad of everything, and what people perceive as good and bad is, besides, a personal opinion. Some people, like myself, prefer scripted dramas. Some people prefer scripted comedies. I have a whole bunch of friends who prefer improv over everything else. I know there are people who prefer reality shows. And some people just watch news programs and documentaries. We're all very different people, and that's "okay".

The key is to periodically watch a little of everything, to confirm your predilections, and then favor the programming you like best. Reward that programming with your viewership, leaving the rest. If that means you watch mostly reality shows, that's fine. If it means you watch a good mix of everything, then that's fine too.

As I alluded to above, I'm most a scripted drama person now. I used to watch more comedies (the Thursday night NBC line-up, specifically) and more reality (Survivor, Amazing Race), and I also would watch more news. So even, over time, your own personal tastes can change, and that is also, un-remarkably, fine, too.

I should note, though, that I grant that my change in preference is most likely not really an indicator of any change in the quality of comedies or reality shows or news programs, but is simply an indicator of a change within myself.

Within ourselves we really aren't able to objectively tell the difference between a change in preference that is objectively driven versus subjectively driven. A better indicator of that is aggregate data -- how many people have chosen to watch one type of program versus another. In that context, I think scripted comedies have faltered, while reality shows have maintained pretty steady, sometimes spiking a little high, but coming back to the steady-state level from about five years ago, where they perhaps "belong".

 

[lustergirl]

I have that hits close to home= The TO Show. He has nice muscles to look at but that is about it- hahaha!!

 

[bekkiz]

No, the worst one on TV right now is on MTV, and I think it's called Silent Library (I saw an ad for it).

Essentially, it's abunch of meathead young men doing ******* style stunts in a fake library and they have to stay quiet to get the money. It took a lot to not throw something at the TV, and it was just a commercial.

There's a Stephen King short story called The Running Man (later turned into a movie, but it had very little to do with the orginal story) and the premise was there were all these crazy reality shows. One that I remember was they took people with heart problems and put them on a treadmill while asking them trivia questions. Every question they got wrong, the treadmill got faster. I think the point was to answer all the questions before you had a heart attack or something.

Anyway, that story was written in the early 80's and I totally see parts of it coming true!

 

[GoldieSaysMeep]

bf & I routinely watch Cheaters, Bridezillas and Blind Date. They make us appreciate each other.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

I don't watch reality shows. I don't care for them. I, actually, watch very little network TV, mainly the news.

 

[4nana]

Other than AI, I simply don't do reality shows . Altho it's fun for many, for me, life already presents enough drama entertainment.

 

[ozarkmom]

I hate so called "reality" television shows. The only one I really watched was The Simple Life because it was set In the area that I live. It was interesting to watch the ridiculous things they made up and how people I know agreed to act like total fools. Yes we would sit around and laugh at how ridiculous and unreal this reality show was.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

I realize for the networks reality shows are a gold mine. super cheap to make and some do generate high ratings but now we are just scraping the bottom of the barrel.

The latest offering comes from ABC and is called "Dating in the Dark". The premise: Blind dates. I mean literally. contenstants are blind folded, led into a room and they have to "date" blindfolded.

Am I asking to much? Just some thought into what goes onto the screen.

Totally and completely loved this show. The fact that the people are matched up in terms of compatibility before the show, then put in a room together to work out the many levels of compatibility before introducing the visual factor, is completely fascinating to me.

Usually your first judgement about someone is visual, by flipping it and making it the last judgement makes for a great show.

DH and I (and DH normally hates ALL reality shows) really enjoyed watching it. We were especially happy when Alister and his cool hippie girl decided to give it a go-she's really good for him, and she said herself "I'd never try dating anyone as good looking as he is", but he's terribly insecure under those good looks and needed somebody nurturing like her to bring out his best .

 

[Jennasis]

LOVES me some reality tv! Right now we are watching:

The Great American Road Trip
America's Got Talent
I Survived A Japanese Gameshow
Dog the Bounty Hunter
Design Star
The dating show with the BBW's

and when it's on:
American Idol
Survivor
The Biggest Loser
Top Chef
Project Runway
Paradise Hotel
Solitary

 

[Jennasis]

LOVES me some reality tv! Right now we are watching:

The Great American Road Trip
America's Got Talent
I Survived A Japanese Gameshow
Dog the Bounty Hunter
Design Star
The dating show with the BBW's

and when it's on:
American Idol
Survivor
The Biggest Loser
Top Chef
Project Runway
Paradise Hotel
Solitary