Why watch the ‘Real World’ when
fiction is just a click away?

By Allie Davison, Staff Writer

ith the amount of
entertainment and
celebrity magazines,

blogs, and websites that have
grown in the last few years, there
were more than enough outlets for
celebrities to exploit themselves
before Snooki came to town. Does
the world really need to be Keeping
up with the Kardashians? What ever
happened to the good ol’ fashion
scripted serial drama?

Personally, I miss the days

Now on its 23 season, Survivor
is one of the longest running
reality TV shows—something that
continues to baffle me. Although
not quite as horrifyingly depressing
as the stalker-esque (The Real
Housewives, The Real World, and
Millionaire Matchmaker to name a
few) reality shows, the majority
of reality TV game shows really
haven’t done much to benefit our
society. These shows exploit human
nature in the worst possible ways,
often making people who play the
dirtiest not only come out on top,

“Does the world really need to be Keeping up with the
Kardashians?”

when Beverly Hills, 90210 and
Buffy the Vampire Slayer were the
top picks for TV watching. Even
nowadays, I’d much rather watch
the newest episode of Grey’s
Anatomy then turn my TV to Slice
and check out whatever self-
deprecating pop sensation has a
reality show this week.

If I wanted to watch people get
drunk, fight, and generally make
idiots of themselves, I’d just hang
around Granville at 2 a.m.—Jersey
Shore eligible douchebags aplenty.
But I’d rather stay at home, turn
on some basic cable (cause what
student can actually afford the
extra channels anyways?) and
watch House. He may be a crazy,
pill-popping doctor but at least I
don’t have to worry about running
into him on my next trip to Vegas.

but be paid immensely for it. Is that
really a lesson we want to teach the
world?

And don’t even get me started
on the string of pregnancy pacts
that went around American high
schools after shows like Teen Mom
and 16 and Pregnant became instant
hits. When I was 16, pregnancy was
a terrifying situation that we all
avoided like the plague.

There was a time, long, long
ago, when TV offered a chance to
escape the real world. For a few
short hours, people could escape
into a realm where imagination ran
the show. With reality TV has come
a social acceptance of making us
feel good about others messy lives.
Not a friendly concept. Can’t we all
just go back to Dawson’s Creek and
relax?

 

Opinions.

 

war of
ords

  

Television is one of the oldest and most influential mediums in the
postmodern world. But with production costs higher than ever and
ratings on an overall decline, it seems we’re now living in the age of
reality-based programming. But is reality really the best form of TV
show? Or do dramas still dominate the landscape?

Get real:

Watch reality TV? You are not the biggest loser

By Sharon Miki, Assistant Editor

I’m good I might (someday)

be real—a real housewife,
at least. And Id be proud of it,
because I love reality TV and all the
trimmings that come with it.

Reality TV is a deliciously-

poppy genre of television in which
storylines are (ostensibly) based
on the real-life events of its stars.
Modern day reality TV includes a
wide variety of highly entertaining

E never be Pinocchio, but if

us (Snooki ain’t my homegirl) that
it gives us a feeling of voyeuristic
satisfaction.

More importantly, reality TV
allows even the most pathetic
losers amongst us to feel better
about ourselves. No matter what
the style, reality TV thrives off of
highlighting the worst parts of
civilization. Watch long enough,
and you'll soon feel like a superior
human being simply because
you don’t get into hair-extension-
pulling catfights.

“Even in the most brilliantly-scripted shows, audiences can tell
that they're fictions—words and costumes and lighting crafted to
create a drama.”

subgenres ranging from
competition-based (American Idol,
Survivor) to stalker-esque (think
16 and Pregnant, Big Brother, or the
entire Real Housewives franchise) to
celebrity worshipping (Keeping up
with the Kardashians).

Reality TV can be anything,
as long as there’s some element
of authenticity—and that’s what
makes it so indispensible. Real life
sucks. You work and struggle and
go home and get up and do it all
over again. Few of us will ever win
a million dollars or see our faces
splashed across the pages of US or
experience any prolonged sense
of glamour. Yet, when it comes to
reality TV, the people on the screen
are either like us (reassuring!
hope.) or are so over-the-top unlike

Scripted dramas, on the other
hand, elevate their characters.

Even in the most brilliantly-
scripted shows, audiences can

tell that they’re fictions—words
and costumes and lighting crafted
to create a drama. While I can
appreciate the effort and often
enjoy a good episode of Revenge
every now and then, I always know
that what I’m seeing is acting. Also,
scripted dramas often make me feel
worse about myself for my lack of
mind-reading / meth-cooking / time-
travelling abilities. -.

With reality TV, even with the
most “staged” ’ varieties, there’s
always’a kernel of possible reality.
Of humanity. Of truth. Of hope
for a better life. What more can a
viewer ask for?.’

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