Gone but not forgotten: when popular reality shows left well enough alone.
Pick up any science fiction story about clones and you'll soon discover the theme that clones of clones lead to mutations that can't deliver on the original promise.
I had just gotten used to Celebrity Apprentice as the new way for Trump to have an outlet for his anger that wasn't directed at poor Rosie, and after coming to terms with the fact that "celebrities might actually be real", I now have to adjust to this year's crop of real people, who are mostly asses (or at least they're edited that way). If the expectation was that these folks were kicked around by the economy and need our sympathy, then an hour long opportunity for all of their foibles to be on display is not the path to future employment. So far I've learned that lawyers are aggressively evil and that having five children makes you act like a child (I shall build a nail from a binder clip). Mr. Burnett and whomever is in charge at Kabletown, please bring back the environment where calling someone a "poker player" was the worst insult thrown around.
And don't even get me started on Top Chef Desserts. Deserved of the Emmy the original iteration just won, I can't get my head wrapped around the clowns on display on this version of the show. I went into it with an open mind, seeking as much value as I could (for instance, I appreciate the fact that these contestants come with their own set of tools that I've not seen before and I can get behind the mentor who kind of reminds me of my "brother" DJ who passed away), but I am overwhelmed by the fey fairy dust duster (that's not a euphemism -- I'm being quite literal), the old man who stole all the butter just to be an ass and the mess that is Seth-xter.
Here's an Amazing Race aside -- at least this show returned intact, with Phil Keoghan returning as an old friend on Sunday nights. Although, I am missing the fact that ousted contestants can't visit the Bonnie Hunt show the next day. (Where I'm sure she would have been brought to tears interviewing the daughter/mother-who-gave-her-up-for-adoption team of strangers ... and where she would have undoubtedly commented that these youngsters never worked a set of rabbit ears in their digital lifetime).
Quality reality producers who believed so much in their product that they protected it from bastardizations, you are missed.
BBC AMERICA DOES IT ONE BETTER -- JUNIOR APPRENTICE!:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2010/jun/02/junior-apprentice
TOP CHEF DESSERTS SETH (aka DEXTER):
http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/top_chef_just_desserts/2010_Sep_26_seth_red_hots
BYE BYE BONNIE BYE BYE:
http://www.thecriticalcondition.com/2010/06/04/bonnie/
No comments:
Post a Comment