Rant 2 - 2/1/12 Subject: Reality TV

So here we ago again.

Rant number 2


So what annoys me about TV? Quite a lot as the case may be.

At its best, TV can be a fantastic way to spend an evening. Well written, intuitive, witty and entertaining.

As a child, there were only 4 channels to watch and so only 4 channels to program for. As such- although some of the programming was dull (particularly as most of it was for 'grown-ups') it was all properly produced and reasonably high quality programming.

To create programs like this however is expensive. Actors, directors, writers, producers et all, are an expensive bunch.  In the modern age, this can cause a problem - as things are certainly not getting any cheaper!

To top this off too, there are now hundreds of channels to choose from, so more programming is needed in general. The sums just don't add up!

One solution would be to try and offer less channels of a better quality.

This does not however fit with the philosophy of the TV producers,  who have little respect for quality, where an easy buck can be made.

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I imagine a meeting took place somewhere along the lines, a brainstorming session with all the up and coming movers & shakers. 'We need ideas, we need a plan, we need hours and hours of cheap cheap TV, what's the plan?'
Some thinking followed, some ideas thrown around, then a little man at the back of the room put up his hand 'what about we put normal people on TV, they won't even need paying'

And from there reality TV was birthed, kicking & screaming into the world.

Thousands of hours of this stuff exists now, most of it cringeworthy to the extreme. Little of it is anywhere near watchable.

And the worst of all, is that it feeds exponentially upon itself. Members of the public 'star' on programs such as Big Brother, where they achieve a modicum of 'success'(notoriety,) becoming household names for doing nothing. They then are taken upon the celebrity versions of these programs, despite having done nothing but attending these programs to start with.

There is also endless contests such as X-factor and strictly come dancing. Where the endless manufacturing of pop 'stars' has been made more transparent than ever before!

All in all, reality TV is like a poisonous Ivy, creeping its way into the delicate mortar of televisions figurative wall. Alas, it is now too late to rip it away from the wall, for fear that the roots are too deep, and that the wall would crumble without it.

The only consolation I suppose is that the vast amount of channels makes it possible to avoid the rubbish and still occasionally find something watchable.

And that is why, I cannot stand reality TV!

Rant over.