These type of film makers give the rest a bad name
- Thread starter long_woods
- Start date
Jon Starr
Veteran
Chris Angel... I hate that show. I'm almost sick watching it, thinking every 2 seconds 'they're in on it, they're in on it, there's a cut and they probably set this up, they're in on it, this was staged, there's a cut'
I cannot watch that show without criticizing something about it every 2 seconds. How they have the 'continuous shot' flashing at the bottom, to only cut a minute later before the trick ends.
Then don't get me started on how they always bring in the overdramatic mother screaming for her child, worrying about him coming out alive (all to add dramatic tension). Then some experienced magician comes in and talks about how dangerous this stunt is. Puleeeze.... we all know he'll just appear behind the crowd after every trick and scream in celebration to a cheering crowd, then in comes the guitar solo and some guy yelling 'mind freak!' It's more formulaic than an episode of House.
Then there's Gene Simmons... wow... Gene loses his PDA in a cab and tries running after it... somehow there's a shot of him from inside the car he's chasing... so that means there's a camera in the car that he needs to catch!? *sigh*
As for Man vs. Wild, well I know some of it is fake, but like someone mentioned, it's meant to be a guide to survival. And on those grounds the show feels real. If he stays in a hotel one night, and they rent horses for some 'wild' horses... well it's not as big of a deal to me. On the show he makes constant refrences to the cameraman, asking for the camera, or grabbing the camera for the cameraman to jump over with him. Though sometime it's a bit strange, such as when he's in a rafter and there's a floating camera in the water following him behind.
The one show I wonder about is, the First 48. I mean to me this is completely real. Obviously people act differently around cameras, but it's a documentary approach, and these are (according to the show) real cases, some of which never get solved (and they ask for information if anyone knows). What do you guys think? Is anything faked? I mean aside from the occasional 'can you repeat that for the camera because we missed it?' shots.
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William_Robinette
Shallow Member
I agree Jon. Man v Wild is the only "reality" type show I watch and no, there are obviously times where he is tethered to something or someone and they do a pretty good job of hiding it. Thing is, I I don't really doubt that if Bear had to do those tasks, he actually could.
It's certainly a recipe for successful fake TV.
Blue_Food
Well-known member
I heard somewhere that Bear Grylls isn't even a real bear.
Doc Bernard
Indie Arms Member
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
Survivor tonight? AWESOME... I watched it twice. AWESOME... it bears repeating. That show 'aint going nowhere... unless something unexpected happens I'll bet this is the most successful season ever. If you're not into Survivor then you won't agree (or get it) but tonight's episode was "punch your mama in the face" good.
Michael Anthony Horrigan
More Cowbell Pictures
Yup. Some shrewd seasoned players in this game. It will be really interesting to see what happens next.
MAH
Doc Bernard
Indie Arms Member
Let's make it real. Hurricane hits the island, all craft services gone. Have to decide who to eat. Talk about being eliminated.
That's REAL Survivor. I would challenge any of them to a real test of survival. Two weeks in the desert. One on one, baby.
ugafan
Looking for a woman
russell is a genius. i think tonight the other survivors realized just how cunning he is. my fear is they'll try to take him out soon because he is too dangerous.
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
He is easily my favorite player ever... hands down.
With this thread topic... if those strategic aspects of the game are fake, then those people are some of the best actors hollywood has ever seen... and they're sure fooling me. Obviously the arc of each episode is created in the edit, but still... they couldn't have asked for more dramatic and 180 flip dialog then they had in last night's show.
Smiling Rob>Camera about Russell's pending dismissal: "Welcome to the big leagues"... and then out of nowhere Russell hits one into the bay as Rob sits there stupified.
The only thing I woke up thinking this morning is this... don't the rules state if a tie happens twice then everybody must draw a stone and the loser goes? (Except for Russell and Rob, because they had immunity)... because that's the only way Tyson's vote makes sense... and why he'd buy Russell's story... and it's a smart move on the editing to NOT remind the audience of that... because that set things up perfectly for the ending sucker punch... but had they reminded us of that... then it wouldn't have been as unexpected.
Isn't that right?
Either way... again... for this thread topic... I think Survivor is the direct opposite of these other shows. Where Survivor succeeds and some of these other shows fail, is not in coaching bad acting in contrived situations... but in setting up situations that encourage drama, through good casting and living conditions that bring out good and bad personal traits.
It's also hard to argue that Survivor is remotely close to being as "fake" as some other reality shows... because most of the cast is anorexic and covered in various evidence of the situation. (thousands of disgusting bug bites, etc)
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Michael Anthony Horrigan
More Cowbell Pictures
He's smart and stupid at the same time.
Going out on his own right after they got the idol clue was not too smart. That put a HUGE target on his back. He could have played that better, been more subtle.
His move last night was great but Rob saw right through it, Tyson blew it.
I think Boston Rob is probably going to take him out. We'll see.
Tyson is stupid. I believe he lost in similar fashion last time he played. He's easily duped.
Another advantage Rob has is that he wins a ton of challenges.
Russel, not so much.
I really like both of them though and would be happy if one of them won.
MAH
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
That's the IDEAL player (for us to watch)... when he ramps it up it becomes the Russell show... all we want to know is how he's going to handle the predicaments he gets himself into... it doesn't matter if you love him or hate him.
I've always said the best characters on the show are "frank burns" types... arrogant, weasely, unpredictable... and you put it best, smart and stupid at the same time. You can see in the edit that they know they've got GOLD in that guy...
I googled "Survivor Tie Rules"...
"If more than four contestants remain, the tied vote getters become immune, and the remaining contestants draw rocks."
So I gotta' defer to my previous guess... that they CHOSE to not show this convincing part of Russell's duping of Tyson... so that we, the audience, would be just as surprised as everybody else.
I hate to be talking about characters like a chick talking soaps... but the thing is... it wasn't so much Tyson being stupid... or Rob being smart... because if you're on the show... and TWO of the guys who can't be voted out want you to vote in a way that can only put YOU at risk... then you look for safer alternatives. Once again... Russell outwitted nearly everybody else.
I agree that he was stupid for putting a huge target on his back with the idol in the first place THAT EARLY IN THE GAME... but his finish last season already had a big target on his back... and it's just THAT much more interesting that he can make what appears to be really reckless decisions... and succeed so brilliantly with those (seemingly bad) choices.
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Michael Anthony Horrigan
More Cowbell Pictures
Agreed, but he didn't outwit Rob.
Had Tyson listened to Rob about how to vote he would still be there. Rob saw Russel's move coming and he warned Tyson. Tyson blew it. Had he listened to Rob he would still be there.
MAH
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
I'm laughing at the others who read this thread and wonder WTF happened in the last page when it became hijacked beyond all recognition.Had he listened to Rob and Russ not HAD it... or even not PLAYED it... he may very well have been out anyway. That's my point against the "didn't outwit" statement. There's no evidence that Rob even considered this.
/end short answer... begin Survivor strategy lesson for those interested.
It's 6-group against 3-group.
1/2 vote A and 1/2 vote B so that A or B goes away... when one or the other uses immunity... that's Survivor 101.
So that's Rob's plan, BUT you put YOURSELF at risk whenever there's a tie. WHAT IF neither A nor B USES the protection? WHAT IF he really didn't have immunity and you forced a tie? YOU might go home. That's Advanced Survivor.
So... when you are one of the OTHERS you should think "why should I risk that instead of insuring that A or B goes from 3-group, instead of gambling through a tie?"
If Tyson had followed Rob's advice... and Russell HELD ON TO the immunity... (or genuinely did not have it) that would have sent ANYBODY else home (including T) and saved both Russ AND P. So... it's not like it was stupid of T to attempt increasing HIS OWN odds.
He was betting that Russ wouldn't give it up... OR didn't even have it.
Rob was betting that he may or may not... while gambling with everybody else's life in the game. This happens every year... at some point somebody creates a risk group... and somebody IN the risk group is smart enough to secretly pull themselves OUT of that risk group.
I'm sure somebody considered that Russ COULD force a genuine tie... guaranteeing immunity for both. I'd be surprised if that wasn't part of Russ' convincing conversation with T. (They TALKED about what happens when there's a tie. People KNOW this is bad if you're not part of the tie and puts you in the "risk group".)
It was a poker table... with everybody gambling... and Russ won because he took a big chance while bluffing the other players.
If the edit had shown Rob considering what I said above... that Russ EITHER didn't HAVE it (unlikely)... or may not play it (possible)... then I'd say yeah, Rob was smarter... but his plan actually left TWO pretty good "outs" for the 3-group.