[lit-ideas] why I hate reality TV
- From: david savory <dsavory@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2004 11:33:59 -0700
My wife is gaga over "The Apprentice." Normally a thoughtful and
erudite (though frequently rabid) academic type, she's taken to
ensconcing herself on the couch at the appointed time and has even
begun buying copies of "Us" (urrgh) so she can get all the inside
information. It appears she'd hate to miss out on the catfights and
behind the scenes romancing. So why does this bother me?
What bugs me is that we have couch potating viewers slavishly devoted
to gossip and smugly pretending they are sociologists. And for all
the maneuvering, intriguing and infighting, there's really very
little going on of any sociological interest: the pre-fab crises and
subsequent self-interested scrambling never lead to any significant
insights. However unscripted and "real" the shows are supposed to be,
they don't rise above soap operas, chock full of bland malevolence,
barely-disguised selfishness and dopey rationalizations.
But then I think, so what's so great about "The Simpsons" which I
believe to be the best show TV has ever produced? As on reality TV,
situations are steered by the producers such that the characters
conflict in particular ways; what's so special about the way this is
done? Why are cartoon characters so much more engaging than real
people acting like real people? To go even further, why is good
fiction involving characters in conflict so much more engaging than
real people in real conflicts?
The answer, as Trump himself might say, is in "results." Good
storytelling leads listeners or viewers toward an understanding,
usually a moral one. What do we learn from "The Apprentice"? Shallow
insights like "8 Type A personalities won't become best friends"
masquerading as wisdom. Consider the following:
Mr Burns: Oh it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining. I was
driving to the orphanage to pass out toys... suddenly that
incorrigible Simpson boy darted out in front of me.
Bart: It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I was playing in my
wholesome childlike way, little realizing that I was about to be
struck down by the Luxury Car of Death.
and after various mirthful machinations have ensued
Moe: Aw, you're better off. Rich people aren't happy. From the day
they're born to the day they die, they think they're happy but trust
me... they ain't.
It's no contest, Reality TV, you're fired.
David Savory
Vancouver
dsavory@xxxxxxxxx
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