Keepin' It Real

Can I tell you how bored I am with the lack of creativity in Reality TV?  For starters, let’s talk about the fact that there’s nothing real about it.

I’m tired of all these “celebrities” being born from the misuse of fame and popularity.  I miss the old days where people looked forward to catching the weekly sitcoms from the likes of “Living Single” or “Friends” to anything on T.G.I.F.  Think back to when there were no TiVo or DVR systems to catch all the moments we miss in tv land; and we were forced to sit through commercials in order to get to the end of a program.  Now everything on TV is a sort of challenge, to test the limits of mediocrity—and we all blindly watch for the season’s winner.  Whether its romance (all superficial of course), or unnecessarily physically grueling matches, or even being crowned champion of best unusual-cake-maker—we have to watch. 

To solidify my opinion a little further:

These producers have figured that there’s a commodity and a profit in television.  And I don’t know how: but the money is really where the mouth is.  If you can sell yourself in front of a nationwide audience in the form of having a single-view camera follow you from here to Timbuktu, then congratulations! you just ticketed yourself at a reasonable price.  There are too many talentless “famous” people taking over the prime time slots.  To the point where TV consumption is forcefully being moved from major cable television networks to the likes of YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix.  Entire series premieres are occurring on Netflix, and you can be fully satisfied after a 6-hour binge watching.

How To...Use Video Streaming

1. Use your favorite browser to locate a preferred video streamer (I prefer Netflix).  Most video streamer websites are user-account based, so it will require a 'sign up' for an account or trial use before using.
2. Once logged in, utilize the search bar that is usually located at the top of the web page to locate titles of programs, movies or specials.  
3. Also become familiar with the category search to fully learn the titles of particular genres.
4. Locate a title, guarantee you're in an environment to appreciate some relaxation, and click the play button to begin your selection.
5. Enjoy! 

Things to consider:

• The next time you find yourself finally allowing the time to relax in front of the television, consider what your initial choice of programming would be.  Do you tune in to revel in the misery that is the Kardashian family?  Do you tune in to cooking-challenging shows to hopefully acquire easy recipes you never tried? Or are you tuning into today’s latest version of a Variety show—video-clip comedy programs?  What are you doing to perpetuate the severity of losing quality programming in television?
• How is it that fake reality has become so entertaining?  I find that some situations that are played out in reality tv could possibly leave audiences feeling like they can relate.  I’m assuming that watching wealthy women openly using violence towards one another, and typically over issues that could be resolved amicably to whole families dealing with mundane or astronomical life crises, that these are scenarios that today’s audiences are finding familiar.  Or could it be that mass audiences are finding comfort in the opportunity to seek fame by simply “being yourself”? 

Oh the reality of TV...