Thoughts on reality TV shows.

Egg Born Son said:
Yeah, Cops is fun. The funniest things are the things they say off the cuff or when they frantically backpedal after realising they let their mouth run and crossed a line. You get to see racial profiling in action even as they specifically point out that isn't what they are doing. My favourite ones are the ones in the quiet neighbourhoods and towns where the young cop with a mo' drives round desperately trying to generate some crime to show the cameras, trying to make out his neighbourhood is hardcore. Arresting jaywalkers and stuff. On the crim side you get the ones that manage to bluff you and think the cops are just harrassing them and then boom! they empty their backpack weapons and drugs fall out. The best episode was the only one I've ever seen where they showed the car chase guy get away (although they mentioned they picked him up later). And the drunk drivers trying to convince them they haven't had anything to drink are always fun.

The best cops-type show is the kiwi one, because not only do you see people doing bats*%t crazy things on the road, they always let them off with a warning. For anything! Gotta move to new zealand!

Otherwise the only reality shows I've liked have been Dirty Jobs (I've done far too many of them but glad to see there's far worse out there), Meteorite Men (I'm sure it's fake and the two guys annoy the hell out of me so I don't know why I like it) and the various hoarder shows because it makes me feel better there's people out there worse than me! (although I'm catching up...).
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LOL.

and to quote
And the drunk drivers trying to convince them they haven't had anything to drink are always fun.
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Yes lol. That's how drunk they are. Too funny. That's one show I will admit isn't faked. That and "The First 48".

But...those aren't reality TV shows like we've been discussing. More documentative than anything.
I'm glad I'm not alone on this one.
 
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jghenderson said:
I got to work on a reality show. It was an overall good experience, I liked the people I was working with. However, yes, 80% of it was straight up staged. Gotta sell the drama to get the ratings, which basically means making stuff up to create conflict.
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It's basically a drama with amateur actors and no budget for sets or lighting. People don't care it's not real, just like they don't care wrestling isn't real.

I prefer some lighting, sets, and real actors along with better writing, but that's jut me. That being said I've certainly vegged out on episodes of gold rush, ice road truckers, and deadliest catch. But the stuff interesting to me isnt' the bad acting or manufactured drama it's the stuff that's being done, catch craps, driving on ice roads, what equipment is used to dig for gold, etc.
 
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Gillvane said:
But the stuff interesting to me isnt' the bad acting or manufactured drama it's the stuff that's being done, catch craps, driving on ice roads, what equipment is used to dig for gold, etc.
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This is the issue I have. There are a lot of reality shows that seem like really interesting subjects that I would love to know more about, but it just doesn't happen. I do have to wonder if this is because the audience doesn't respond to shows without those additions, or if the producers just assume that.
 
Batutta said:
It was predicted way earlier in the uncannily accurate Albert Brooks movie Real Life--
http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0079781/
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Actually "Network" pre-dates "Real Life" as it was released in 1976 and the Brooks' film was released in 1979. "Network" is a masterpiece, IMHO, and it not only predicted the rise of "Reality" TV, but pretty much nailed the current state of the ruling nature of Transnational Corporations... "You have meddled with the primal forces of nature, Mr. Beale..."!!
 
David G. Smith said:
Actually "Network" pre-dates "Real Life" as it was released in 1976 and the Brooks' film was released in 1979. "Network" is a masterpiece, IMHO, and it not only predicted the rise of "Reality" TV, but pretty much nailed the current state of the ruling nature of Transnational Corporations... "You have meddled with the primal forces of nature, Mr. Beale..."!!
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Network was about the corrupting influence of money and ratings in network news, not the rise of reality tv. Real Life was specifically about reality television and was incredibly prescient. Not taking anything from Network, but that's not what it was about really. Network certainly predicted the current state of TV and cable news with sad clarity.
 
Cassius said:
This is the issue I have. There are a lot of reality shows that seem like really interesting subjects that I would love to know more about, but it just doesn't happen. I do have to wonder if this is because the audience doesn't respond to shows without those additions, or if the producers just assume that.
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I really like Face Off. But one of the disappointing things about it is instead of spending time learning about the FX make up process, they dwell on any drama and try to really enhance the competition part by purposefully making it look so rushed, or really playing up any problems, and stuff like that. I'd rather see more about how they do the make up. OMG! OMG! OMG! will they finish on time!!!!!! Whatever, show me more on how they run the latex.

http://www.syfy.com/faceoff
 
Forget about reality TV. Obviously that's always been fake, what I want to know for certain about is weather forcasts.
Now THOSE must be at least 80% straight up staged, right?
 
Batutta said:
Network was about the corrupting influence of money and ratings in network news, not the rise of reality tv. Real Life was specifically about reality television and was incredibly prescient. Not taking anything from Network, but that's not what it was about really. Network certainly predicted the current state of TV and cable news with sad clarity.
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Yeah, "Network" was about a lot of things, that's for sure. However, I think that the "...Corrupting influence of money and ratings..." was very influential on the rise of reality TV. Besides, they did mock reality TV with "The Mao Tse Tung Hour" show... This scene, about the negotiations for that show is one of the greatest, funniest scenes I have ever seen. Paddy Chayefsky rocks.

 
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Now we have people being referred to as "Reality Stars". They are stars now? Really? I don't even know where to start with that one. (I'll have to watch Real Life. Sounds good.)
 
David G. Smith said:
Yeah, "Network" was about a lot of thing, that's for sure. However, I think that the "...Corrupting influence of money and ratings..." was very influential on the rise of reality TV. Besides, they did mock reality TV with "The Mao Tse Tung Hour" show... This scene, about the negotiations for that show is one of the greatest, funniest scenes I have ever seen. Paddy Chayefsky rocks.
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That is a hellaciously funny scene. This is totally un-funny: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22001163
 
^Speaking of: This is pretty sad too. http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/...r-mark-balelo-death-ruled-suicide-1033395.php
(He was also an actor and working at the moment I believe. I'm sure he worked on other things but don't see them listed here.) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4874141/

Also one of the cast members has been fired as I mentioned for publicising it's producers seeding the lockers. And on that note we have a new show coming out in Canada this year; Storage Wars Canada. (please make it stop.)

//And another. I don't understand and don't mean to get off topic of the thread. http://hollywoodlife.com/2013/02/13/mark-balelo-dead-suicide-storage-wars-russell-armstrong-rhobh/
 
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Sadly the one thing that should be reality tv, the News, is not much better. They sure can beat up a story these days. And with the 24hr news cycle, soundbyte and cut-and-paste 'journalism', I swear there's been instances of stories that that became true as the story developed simply because those being reported on ended up believing the news reports over their own experience. Public figures certainly react to news as if it is true even when it isn't because they understand truth is what people believe, not what happened. Not that I'm convinced mainstream media was ever any better but it feels like it was. Did investigative journalism (actually involving investigation and/or journalism) ever exist? Can anyone remember? It's been so long since I've seen a thoroughly researched and fact-checked news story I can't be sure if I ever have.
 
One thing that blows my mind is just HOW fake they are. Forget about the staged scenes, many folks know about that. did you know "chopped" has a freaking SOUND DESIGNER? The sounds of pots and pans clanking as contestants run around, the sound of celery being chopped on a cutting board...ALL FOLEY OR SOUND FX PUT IN IN POST! That blew my mind when I learned it, although I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

As far as liking them, I thought project green light was really neat, though from what I've heard that was likely heavily manipulated as well (e. g. throwing obstacles in the directors path to deliberately create conflict, the whole process just being an excuse to make a reality show instead of the show being a simple documentation of the contest and subsequent film).
 
Egg Born Son said:
Sadly the one thing that should be reality tv, the News, is not much better. They sure can beat up a story these days. And with the 24hr news cycle, soundbyte and cut-and-paste 'journalism', I swear there's been instances of stories that that became true as the story developed simply because those being reported on ended up believing the news reports over their own experience. Public figures certainly react to news as if it is true even when it isn't because they understand truth is what people believe, not what happened. Not that I'm convinced mainstream media was ever any better but it feels like it was. Did investigative journalism (actually involving investigation and/or journalism) ever exist? Can anyone remember? It's been so long since I've seen a thoroughly researched and fact-checked news story I can't be sure if I ever have.
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Plus 1000^10.
 
Egg Born Son said:
Sadly the one thing that should be reality tv, the News, is not much better.....
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Exactly. When we can't rely upon even the news media to be real, why should we expect it from entertainment media? News sensationalism used to be the exception, how it's the norm. There is so much jibber-jabber about relative insignifica (celebrity, British Royal Family, missing persons) that "boring" stories of actual global importance are wholesale ignored.
 
When you have too much of anything, the value deflates. There are too many channels on for too many hours chasing too little advertising $$$$. Content -- whether it be "entertainment" or "news" -- will always suffer.

And when you compete against free, the deck is stacked against you. Hence, the reality of the "democratization" of video/film/TV.

Technology opens doors, but not without cost.
 
"Reality TV" came onto my radar (and may have begun?) when, in the early/mid 90's, Mark Burnett raced in the Raid Gauloises adventure race, then began producing it in the US as the Eco Challenge on USA Network or Discovery (?)

It began as the real deal- teams against extreme elements and conditions, going days without sleep, mountain climbing/biking, sea kayaking, etc.
Great, gripping TV, adventure-doc style (early DV, I think?), no manufactured drama needed.

And yet... a couple of seasons in, it began getting more contrived- forced storylines, playing up the personal conflict like a soap opera.
I guess the physical challenge and real risk of bodily harm or death was not enough.

A couple of years later, Eco Challenge goes off the air, and Burnett starts Survivor... and in my mind TV takes a huge turn for the worse...
 
I've watched Pawn Stars, American Pickers and Top Gear for a long time. Never stopped to think about how staged they were until I worked on one of those home buying/selling homes and realized we were shooting a conversation that was supposed to have happened 3 months earlier before the couple bought the house.

It's easy to see how Pawn Stars is staged when you notice how there is nobody else in the shop when someone is selling them something, or how they know the value without checking it on the 'net. And on Top Gear when they (the guys) supposedly outfit their cars to look like "Mad Max" specials overnight (work that would take a month to do).

But American Pickers (my favorite since I have lived everything they do on the show after 5 years in the estate and antiques biz) ... Not sure how they stage all those barns full of junk. I know the car and shop scenes are staged, and when they walk up to a property the whole thing was planned a month in advance... but I like to think when they dig something out of a pile they are looking at it for the first time. Just wishful thinking I guess. Anyone ever worked crew on Pickers?
 
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