Is Reality TV the sign of the end of times?

[Naukhel]

While I speak strongly against \'Survivor\', I actually enjoy \'Beauty and the Geek\'.
It\'s funny, and actually seems to be trying to promote the message:
\"Geeks are people, too.\"

Also, America\'s Next Top Model.
How can I not enjoy a bunch of gorgeous women parading about for an hour each
episode?

 

[Hinton]

The end of times? Nah... Crappy television? IMO, absolutely.

Reality TV will be like every other genre that has graced (or disgraced) television. It will enjoy some popularity for a while and then fade away.

Look at TV in the 40\'s, 50\'s and 60\'s: dominated by westerns and hard-boiled detective shows. Sure, there were some sci-fi and other genres, but they weren\'t all that popular.

The late 60\'s and on through the 70\'s brought sci-fi a bit more into the \"mainstream\", sitcoms become more popular and detective shows continued along while westerns slowly disappeared .

In the 80\'s westerns almost completely disappeared and detective shows started to wane a bit.

The 90\'s brought us \"reality TV\" and procedural police shows, but \"PI\" shows were pretty much gone.

Tastes change and TV will change with them. Maybe westerns will make a comeback and dominate the airwaves again.

 

[treide]

Although I don\'t think it is typical of most \"reality TV\" out there, I do like the Amazing Race. It is nice to see parts of the world I know little about, and I like how they make an attempt to incorporate local customs, history, etc into the challenges.

 

[JesterzUSMC]

And meanwhile Great shows Like Dresden Files are not being continued.

I\'m sorry, but the lack of general education is making our \"bread and circuses\" government worse.

Giving up freedoms for the \"illusion\" of security, watching the nightly news has become more like a daily fluff, and menawhile the serious issues are being downright ignored!!

Start a conversation on the subway about local Government or changes in federal policy, and you get blank stares before someone say something like:\"did you hear about Lyndsey Lohan\'s latest escapade?\"

Bollocks the lot of them.
The U.S. needs a swift kick in the collective pants. And a dictator. An Iron-Fisted intelligent megalomaniac bent on saving the planet! Yeah!! And goats with LAY-ZERS!

????????????????????????????????????

whoa!
What\'d I just miss there!

 

[wiccanpony]

I was so bummed out when Dresden Files wasn’t picked up for another season.:cussing:

 

[DrEvilmonki]

Originally posted by wiccanpony
I was so bummed out when Dresden Files wasn’t picked up for another season.:cussing:

I have to say it doesn\'t surprise me. While it was different I felt the acting, direction and cinematography was average at best.

 

[Rigged4Mini]

Originally posted by Naukhel

Also, America\'s Next Top Model.
How can I not enjoy a bunch of gorgeous women parading about for an hour each
episode?

Just for the record...none of those Top Models are gorgeous without layers of paint on their faces.. They are actually downright unattractive. None of them have any curves, chest, ass, etc.. most are even pretty stupid. They believe that without models, civilization would not have existed.

Women watch that show because they want to be them..get off your ass, go to the gym and you will look better then them..

Guys watch out because they have little itsy balls and drool over stuff they can\'t or wont attempt to have.

I\'m just upset because recently an ENTIRE family of 6.. (3 generations) were murdered. And in the USA its less important then Britney Spears and her whore escpades. Even my own girlfriend is more interested in that bitch. I\'m down right ashamed of being an American lately.

 

[Fizl]

Originally posted by Rigged4Mini

Originally posted by Naukhel

Also, America\'s Next Top Model.
How can I not enjoy a bunch of gorgeous women parading about for an hour each
episode?

Just for the record...none of those Top Models are gorgeous without layers of paint on their faces.. They are actually downright unattractive. None of them have any curves, chest, ass, etc.. most are even pretty stupid. They believe that without models, civilization would not have existed.

Women watch that show because they want to be them..get off your ass, go to the gym and you will look better then them..

Guys watch out because they have little itsy balls and drool over stuff they can\'t or wont attempt to have.

I\'m just upset because recently an ENTIRE family of 6.. (3 generations) were murdered. And in the USA its less important then Britney Spears and her whore escpades. Even my own girlfriend is more interested in that bitch. I\'m down right ashamed of being an American lately.

I dont normally jump in with this sort of stuff but i have to say 2 things.

1. you have made some bloody huge sweeping statements in there

2. You have been bloody rude about people

point 1 - not all women watch model shows cos they want to be them/look like them. You are basically saying all women who watch this have low self esteem and don\'t want their own life/looks. As for all the men have tiny balls - men are sexually driven differently to women. Fairly well known that men are more visual than women, so if they are wanting to look at what they perceive is a good looking woman, I\'m sure it has something to do with their balls, but not necessarily that they are tiny.

2. Britney Spears and her whore escapades - she may not interest you, but throughout history people have wanted to know about the famous people and what they are doing. Be it royalty, the top warrior, the bard, the scientist, the musician etc. People meltdown. She did. It was news to people who are interested in her (which is a substantial population otherwise she wouldn\'t sell). Also, I don\'t think you can call her a whore unless you are saying you know she has people pay her for sex?

I\'m sorry I had to butt in there, as those sort of sweeping statements REALLY piss me off

Shaz

 

[Naukhel]

What Shaz said...

And additionally...

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
There have been what? 9 seasons of America\'s Top Model to date.
Plus spin-offs for Canada, Australia, and for all I know, Timbuktu...

Regardless... In the last season, there were four girls that were, even without
make-up, in my opinion, drop dead gorgeous.

In the previous season, three.

And, not that it matters, but in season 7, the one I thought was hottest of the bunch
was the \'plus size model\'.

\"Reality TV\" is mis-named. It has very little to do with reality.
But it entertains a lot of people.

I don\'t hound after news about celebrities, but it\'s out there. In great
abundance. I hear it whether I want to or not.
Sensationalism sells. Sex sells. Thus, Britney sells.
Why? Because the media believes more and more that the lowest common denominator
needs to be appealed to more than the individuals who consider themselves
honestly above such things (not the people that SAY they do, and then read
all the magazines and watch all the shows
behind closed doors).

Does this mean that enjoying these shows puts us in the lowest common
denominator? Absolutely not. Everyone has their own tastes, their own likes and
dislikes. You can accept that and move on, or you can gripe about how nobody is
as smart as you because they don\'t like the same things you do.

But that would take us into a whole different kind of rant, which would ultimately
point us into the direction of bigotry and racism. And we don\'t need to go there.

 

[lono]

Just for the record, I have tiny balls and I don\'t watch America\'s Next Top Model.

 

[Fizl]

Originally posted by lono
Just for the record, I have tiny balls and I don\'t watch America\'s Next Top Model.

Thank you for that report lol

Shaz

 

[JesterzUSMC]

The media reports what gets the ratings.
Ratings are loosely based on what people watch (let\'s not get started on Neilsen Rating System).

That\'s it. Not enough people watched Dresden. Loads of people watch CSIALL).
I will agree that some of the supprting acting, and stories were sub-par for Dresden, but I watched because of the originality.
I also can\'t agree with sweeping statements. Though I am tired of the sensationalism.
I have stated before my opinion of the media.

CHEERS!

 

[freakinacage]

Originally posted by lono
Just for the record, I have tiny balls and I don\'t watch America\'s Next Top Model.

and i thought i was the only one!!

i knew one of the uk top models from the 1st series. she got into the top 10. she\'s one of those women who is not only classically beautiful but intelligent, funny and annoyingly nice with it. and she\'s an identical twin. (oh god help me!)

i would agree though that the normal women on those model shows aint up to much. gimme a girl wit curves any day!

 

[Rigged4Mini]

Shaz, the greatest freedom we have nowadays is the ability to form our own opinions... thanks for sharing yours even though it is the exact opposite of mine. I guess we are both very upset for different reasons.

 

[Torn blue sky]

Oh jesus! I don\'t watch the Model show either!!!

I think I may have just had a stark revelation

 

[Fizl]

Originally posted by Rigged4Mini
Shaz, the greatest freedom we have nowadays is the ability to form our own opinions... thanks for sharing yours even though it is the exact opposite of mine. I guess we are both very upset for different reasons.

Hey your welcome, anytime!

TBS - how does it feel to have the truth dawning on you like that lol

Shaz

 

[Jike Ichi]

Hmm great discussion so far. I have decided about that topic 2 years ago and came to the conclusion that I don\'t need any TV.
You have internet, right!? So why watch something some idiots serve you? Simply download stuff you like and watch it. Forget about the TV! Just that simple!
I never had the urge to put on the TV since these last 2 years.

Well, discussion could go on, cause there\'s so many crap on the net too. But hey, the intelligent stuff is just a click away (And if you want to be part of a big global big brother, the internet is the perfect place to be).

Cheers mate, and I don\'t think we have reached the end of all days. That will be when fire comes down raining on earth right? Didn\'t notice something like this this morning, but I think its getting hotter, lol

 

[Dragonsreach]

Originally posted by wiccanpony
I was so bummed out when Dresden Files wasn’t picked up for another season.:cussing:

Oh Bugger. Really enjoyed the series and just finished watching the DVD\'s again.
I\'m really enjoying the books as well, not rocket science, but an entertaining read nonetheless. OK markedly different to the tv series but the series and the books are both good in different ways.

As to the comments about the acting, well as Terence Mann is from Kentucky (or is it Tennesee?) and the actor playing Harry Dresden (Paul Blackthorne) is English their transposed accents wern\'t noticable.
Oh and I certainly will not be complaning about Valerie Cruz\'s acting.
(Anyone else think that she looks like Stephanie Zimbalists younger sisiter?)

Anyhow \"Reality TV\" is only good if you can learn something from it. I\'ve learned that I couldn\'t give a Brass Bound Fart about America\'s next Top Model so that\'s got to be good.

 

[freakinacage]

Originally posted by Rigged4Mini
Shaz, the greatest freedom we have nowadays is the ability to form our own opinions... thanks for sharing yours even though it is the exact opposite of mine. I guess we are both very upset for different reasons.

dammit thats no way to go about this. you yell at her some more, she questions your parentage while we all sit back with the popcorn!! oh dear, what are these forums coming to? (if only the rest of the world ended disputes is such a decent, mature way eh? )

 

[Fizl]

Originally posted by freakinacage

Originally posted by Rigged4Mini
Shaz, the greatest freedom we have nowadays is the ability to form our own opinions... thanks for sharing yours even though it is the exact opposite of mine. I guess we are both very upset for different reasons.

dammit thats no way to go about this. you yell at her some more, she questions your parentage while we all sit back with the popcorn!! oh dear, what are these forums coming to? (if only the rest of the world ended disputes is such a decent, mature way eh? )

Here cometh forums big brother! and todays contestants are...



Can I have some of that popcorn (if its sweet)?

Shaz