Quality Reality TV

Recently, I did a survey on myspace because I was bored. I normally don't do those things because I think they are inane and trivial. I replied as accurately as possible, and yet I still managed to implicate a lot of cynicism without even realizing it. My friend Sarah replied to it with a poignant response, something to the extent of "This is what I've learned about you: You think everything is stupid, but you comply with it anyway." It was frighteningly spot on. I never really realized how much of a complacent cynic that I really am. I guess if anything, I like inane and stupid things merely because I can see the humor in them. Which is the case I think with how I view most television programs. Lately, I've been fortunate enough to watch PBS, which, in my opinion is the best station on TV. Its at least educational in many aspects, and well produced to boot. Now, I have a certain love for reality TV, because it is usually so awfully overproduced and situational that it ends up being hilarious. I don't think that this is necessarily the intent. However, I have been watching the shows "Cooking Under Fire" and "Frontier House." I think they are both great, because they seem more like experiments rather than overproduced gameshows with "challenges" and "immunity idols" or "the gauntlet." Cooking under fire puts upcoming chefs in real kitchen environments and makes them actually do things you'd have to do in a real job. With that one, I guess there is a prize and there are "challenges" and the "86 pan" for those eliminated, but it seems more cutthroat than most of these survivor type shows where the contestants vote each other off. Here, there are professional chefs who basically say, "you sucked today, you're gone. you could never make it as a NYC chef." And they couldn't. It's great. With Frontier House, there are 3 different families of varous sizes and backgrounds who have to survive in an 1880's setting. They have no amenities or modern convieniences, and they basically have to do what it akes to survive. The whole thing is shot documentary style with some historical references. The families are forced to actually do some fucking work, and they get dirty and sick and have to shit outdoors and deal with bears and feudin' neighbors. Its pretty educational historically, and its good to see peopel have to see where they come from and what people had to deal with during those times. Oh man, I need to read a book.