Rules of Reality TV
Posted by: Nick Redfern on July 8th, 2012
I have a new post up at my Nick Redfern’s World of Whatever blog that demonstrates why I have a loathing for most paranormal, supernatural, cryptozoological, ufological and Fortean-driven shows of a “Reality TV” nature.
Here’s my opening words:
“Would it be possible – just once will be fine! – to see a supernatural, paranormal or Fortean-themed ‘Reality TV’ show that offers the viewer at least a bit of originality? It’s almost like there’s a book that all the writers, directors and producers consult before they lazily crank out the latest piece of tat. Perhaps there is…Here are, as I see them anyway, the Ten Commandments of supernatural on-screen ‘entertainment’ (in no particular order). There’s nothing positive about these commandments, however. Unless you view ‘predictable’ and ‘tedious’ as having merit – which I don’t.”
1. Thou shalt always have thy team comprised of more men than women. The former should generally sport some form of headwear (either a baseball cap or something befitting Indiana Jones). The latter should always be kept away from Manna from Heaven and the food of the gods. Anorexic-looking, in other words.
2. Ensure that thy cast doth drive a flashy all-terrain vehicle rather than a car. If that same vehicle can be filled with lots of cameras, weird-looking devices and advanced technologies – and bountiful shots of such items can be captured for the viewer – ye will reap rewards beyond thy imagination (that’s to say you will get your expenses paid a week early).
And here are the remainder of the commandments, as delivered from on high (the network, I mean)…
About Nick Redfern
Punk music fan, Tennents Super and Carlsberg Special Brew beer fan, horror film fan, chocolate fan, like to wear black clothes, like to stay up late. Work as a writer.
I feel your pain…I’ve given up on reality shows having any sort of “reality” to them at all. I used to watch Grant and Jason on Ghost Hunters the first couple of seasons. One, they were a lot more skeptical (shock of all shockers, they rarely if ever admitted a place was haunted–compare that to seasons now), and a lot of places they went, they actually debunked stuff as normal or misperceptions. ALL of that changed when they got their black SUV’s full of your favorite wired up stuff.
Plus with these “reality” shows, what the audience fails to think about (I know I didn’t in the beginning) is that even though you only see three people (two guys and a piece of eye candy), there are a ton of people all around them with cameras, mikes, and the whole bit. No one is ever all alone on an expedition out into the woods (no wonder they never actually find our friend sasquatch…he can probably hear the entire entourage coming 5 miles away).
I’m proud to say I never watched a single episode of “Survivor.” No, I’m not noble or above the rest,…it’s just that I looked at the show before it hit and when I read something that talked about all of that nonsense and how they weren’t ever far from civilization AND there was almost no chance of anyone actually not surviving, I was out.
Reality TV is an oxymoron…like government eifficiency or an educated consumer. They doesn’t exist…