Reality TV

Has anyone else ever watched reality TV in which the participants act as if there is no camera? That is SO ANNOYING! How are these people COMPLETELY IGNORING THE CAMERA! In many of the television shows, we suspend the reality of the camera-man, and that is okay - we expect to and accept it. That should not be the case on reality tv. The more hints I get that the whole thing is scripted, the less interesting I find it.

I've seen something funny on both Hulk Hogan's show (the Hulk Life or something) and the Bachelor. On both of those shows, I've seen characters do something and then say "We need to keep this a secret from mom and dad" or Hulk "I'd better keep this a secret from my wife." HELLO, YOU'RE ON TV!?! .... I mean... COME ON! How am I supposed to respond to that? "Scripted!" Boooooo. If you act as if the camera doesn't change anything, we know it is completely fake, because a camera would add a lot of tension in any emotional situation. I would like to see a show that actually embraces that tension a little bit.

Reality TV has been around for a long time. It's called "Game Shows." Survivor? It's a game show. The Bachelor? It's a game show. America's Top Model? Game show. Instead of "guess the word in time" it's about accomplishing a task, making fireworks with some random bachelor, doing an incredible photoshoot. It's a more interesting game show but it's still a game show.

A few shows try to pull of total reality tv, like the hulk hogan show. Those are still far from interesting because they aren't even slightly believable. I have no reason to believe what I'm seeing is really showing me anything true about these people. That's not compelling. Maybe people can't be candid outside of simple things like game shows and sixty second candid camera blips, but if you can't be a little more daring I'm not even going to bother watching.