I'm writing this post as I watch The Voice with my kids. Normally, I wouldn't be caught dead watching this crap, but my kids love it. It's for the kids man. Of course, we might have to switch over and check in with Dancing With the Stars to see what my man Donald Driver is doing. I mean, come on, Donald plays his heart out for my Packers. It's the least I can do. After that I might watch a little House Hunters with Meg. What kind of husband would I be if I didn't spend a little quality time with the wife?
And that's just Monday night.
Reality shows dominate the airwaves these days, and while I generally scoff at them, upon closer examination of my TV habits, many of the shows I watch are reality shows. Some of it I blame on my kids. They love reality shows, and I have to admit, it is nice to hang out as a family and watch shows like Man vs. Food or The Barefoot Contessa or even Storage Wars. There is a dark side though. The girls also love shows like Dance Moms, and it takes every ounce of strength I have not to run screaming from the house when that damn thing is on. And now there's a Dance Moms: Miami. I don't know if I can take it.
There will always be a place for quality scripted shows, but I would imagine there will be more and more reality shows. Gotta give the people what they want.
Sometimes I worry about this generation of kids. They're going to walk around thinking their lives are perpetual reality shows waiting to happen, absurdly melodramatic music punctuating the minutia of their lives.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
How 'bout you? What's your favorite reality show?
I'm going out of town for a conference, so I apologize in advance for not visiting as much as I'd like. I'll be back Monday night, and then I can give the challenge my full attention for the last week.
I must admit before I watched my first reality show I had a lofty attitude. "I will NEVER watch reality TV." Then there was Big Brother, American Idol and the Amazing Race.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes I like the Voice.
Teresa
the only reality TV show I watch is Survivor. I also watch Toddlers in Tiaras (but that is not reality)
ReplyDeleteI used to be a big snob about reality TV but nothing makes me happier than The Biggest Loser, Storage Wars and American Idol. God spare me from Dancing with the Stars and any kind of other dancing-motherly-tiara-wearing-racers.
ReplyDeleteThe Reality shows I dig I usually Paranormal shows, Find Bigfoot, and River Monsters. There are so many other there these days.
ReplyDeleteDWTS is the only reality show I like to watch. I can't dance worth anything, but I still enjoy it so much. Have no idea why. Since I've written and remembered so much about my own childhood lately, I tried to imagine how it would have been if it were full of reality shows. We didn't get TV until I was 16!
ReplyDeleteDo I have to pick just one? I admit it, I'm addicted to reality TV. From Bad Girls Club to Jersey Shore (which is probably my favorite overall). I also watch The Voice, American Idol (although after last night, I'm done with this season), DWTS, and even Toddlers and Tiaras. I know that last one is taboo, but it truly is amusing. The moms on that show are cr-a-zy. A lot of my students are into Storage Wars and the tattoo and motorcyle reality shows on TLC. I used to really like John and Kate Plus 8, too. I know, it's sad...
ReplyDeleteMy nephew's girlfriend is actually on The Voice this year, so I'm watching it for the first time. It's very fun to have someone to root for that I know, but otherwise I don't think I could stand it. I used to watch Idol back in the day though, so I can't pretend that I'm a reality snob. Some of these shows are totally addicting.
ReplyDeleteI want some of those reality shows to get off my lawn too.
ReplyDeleteI don't like to admit it, but here it goes... I love several reality tv shows. I, too, wonder about people (young and old) because it seems that so many "normal" people are getting reality shows. Every is posting stuff on video pages and on social networking sites as though they are reality stars in their own minds.
ReplyDeleteI don't even want to admit some of the shadier shows I watch, but I do like ANTM, Project Runway, anything on Discovery or History Channel (do those count for reality tv)?
Don't have television but do order Project Runway through Netflix. Surprisingly I like this show a lot. Baseball is my favorite reality show though.
ReplyDelete