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Jun. 7, 2007 I developed a habit of watching reality television shows when the very first Survivor aired. I loved the show and continued watching it along with just about anything else that was broadcast...ANYWHERE. I had always watched the Real World, but the very first reality show that I ever watched was An American Family which featured an extremely dysfunctional group called The Loud Family. I meandered over to CBS for Big Brother and to vh1 and Bravo as well. I never miss the Bachelor or The Amazing Race, American Idol and The Apprentice. I love Top Chef and Project Runway and I even find the time for America's Next Top Model, Shear Genius, The Real Housewives Of Orange County and I Love NY (one of the most ridiculous shows ever broadcast but never pretending to be something that it isn't). Charm School, Flavor Of Love, The Surreal Life and Beauty and The Geek also fall into the category of pure entertainment with no social redemptive factors. At first, they were all fun and interesting and I really got into the elimination process and even voted for my favorites when given the opportunity. Then something changed and I suppose that the Producers started to run out of good ideas (they seem to be over-producing or scripting) or the casting process fell apart and everyone who auditioned for the various shows had a hidden agenda (and an Agent in the wings) and the desire to be an actor. At the very least, they all seemed to need and want their fifteen minutes of fame and the shows began to look like one big cattle call. This season really ruined the phenomenon for me. Survivor was awful and my favorite was voted off. The Apprentice was horrid and The Donald obviously has lost his touch. American Idol is a joke for someone of my age because the last two standing appeal to teenagers and the ones with real talent are now gone. I couldn't bring myself to watch the current Amazing Race All Stars because it was such obvious hype and I couldn't stand the contestants the first time around. I'm not sure that I can bring myself to watch the new Big Brother when it begins to air because I hated the last two seasons and I don't want to subject myself to yelling at a television screen again. I have been forced to watch fictional television which I have avoided for several years. I went back to the tried and true with only a few exceptions. I love all of the CSI's, Law and Order and House which are well written and well acted. I got attached to Jericho which I have heard may have been cancelled. There will most likely always be a place for reality television because so many people want to live vicariously through the people on the shows. So many want to win that million dollars or land that handsome bachelor and others simply like the fact that someone else is making a bigger fool out of themselves than most of us do in our real lives. I say that I won't watch the shows again but I probably will. There will be a big difference this time though; I will only watch the first three episodes and if I am bored or disgusted I will turn them off instead of feeling like I have to watch to the bitter end. This shouldn't be as difficult as quitting smoking...right? Now we are going into summer reruns and most shows have had their grand finales so that leaves me with a bunch of weird new shows both scripted and of the reality genre. On second thought, I could begin to dig through the huge stack of books that I have been accumulating for the past several years and never find the time to read. I might even enjoy reading again instead of lying around like a couch potato watching nonsense. I think that it may be time to return to my own reality....unless those first three episodes grab my attention. If that happens than all bets are off!! ------------ About the author: Meri has a Medical/Legal background and is a former forensic researcher specializing in psychological profiling. https://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.asp?bookid=27335 Email: writers2@cox.net Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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