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Make It Stop

Reality Game Shows

December 19, 2006

There’s a new scourge creeping across our prime time airwaves. We hope it is no more than a passing phase, a blip on the television timeline, a placeholder until our beloved appointment television shows come back from the newly minted “winter hiatus”.

The Reality Game Show. We beg the TV Gods: Make this stop.

We call them “reality” game shows because the games that viewers used to tune in for have now been replaced by the contestants: their personalities, their families, their back stories, and their wild antics. The knowledge and skill that used to be required to win a game show are no longer necessary, as these games have little more premise than: pick a number between one and ten. You were right? Hooray! You were wrong? Ahh.

Instead of marveling at someone’s knowledge of French Impressionist painters, or someone’s ability to read “A Stitch In Time Saves Nine” without a single vowel, we now expected to simply laugh and enjoy the triumph and tragedy of the contestants. The game itself is no longer the reason to tune in, oh no, it's human emotion that is now the star. We are supposed to become hooked by watching the ranting and ravings of the contestants, and there is a lot of it to go around.

Comments

Brian wrote:

I couldn't agree more. While flipping channels recently, I caught 5 minutes of "Deal Or No Deal". Could there be a more dreadful show? Yes! "Identity", which has the exact same premise. The network should just start airing "The Price Is Right" in the 8 p.m. timeslot until Mr. Barker retires. Mr. Barker knows how to entertain both the studio and television audience. Howie Mandel and the Penn/Teller host of "Identity" should take classes from Mr. Barker.

posted at December 21, 2006 08:01 AM

Aria wrote:

It seems like reality game shows are the new reality talent search shows. There are just too many and they have no substance.

posted at December 21, 2006 06:29 PM

Jocelyn wrote:

Oh my gosh i want to know how much longer these shows will stay on...I mean its like millionarie it goes and goes and goes and keeps on with the boring I hate the"we'll find out after the break" ahhhh anyway there popular and there's nothing I can do about so i just flip.

posted at December 22, 2006 06:02 AM

Matt wrote:

While I enjoy playing Deal or No Deal on my handheld device. The actual show is long and boring. I want someone on that show to just pick numbers in order beginning with suitcase #1, because that's all it is is picking numbers. By the way this show and some others on now I feel have contestants who are or wannabe actors. Sometimes it looks fake when they play I noticed. I do like Identity and hopes that comes back, it is the best cutthroat game on the air now.

posted at December 22, 2006 06:36 PM

whendovescry2000 wrote:

A few years ago a very original reality show/contest began. A group of people completed several task as the episodes progressed with a final challenging task was completed. This was the Apprentice. The first season was brilliant because the people were real. As we move with each new season the contestant(s) move closer and closer to the look of regular actor(s) and model(s). As you read this think back to the first season - They had "heavy set" people you know NORMAL built people - and now each and every one looks like people from a daytime soap opera. Such is life, and hence the ruin of a decent show.

posted at December 24, 2006 06:49 PM

demetria dixon wrote:

I enjoyed Show Me the Moeny and I am crushed that it was cancelled. I sent my tape and everything and I was ready to win. A game show where I could win a cool million and it gets cancelled. Waah!!!!!!!

posted at December 28, 2006 03:15 PM

Lily wrote:

I can't stand the game show tsunami that started this fall with Deal or No Deal. Doesn't anyone remember how ABC burnt us out with game shows by airing Who Wants To Be A Millionaire 3 or 4 times a week? NBC cancelled Kidnapped and delayed the season premiere of Crossing Jordan 4 months for this idiotic garbage? Arrrrgh! I'll go watch reruns of CSI:Miami on A & E before I'll be caught dead watching a game show!

posted at December 29, 2006 11:26 AM

Wayne wrote:

Reality shows were cute in the begining.But the networks think they have found a Cheap form of entertainment for the masses.They have gone from paying millions per episode for a sitcom to nearly nothing.I'm sick of all the reality shows.Why not just have a separate reality channel.All the neworks can own a part of it and share in the profits or losses together.This way they can use the free time slots for real entertainment.

posted at December 30, 2006 06:40 AM

Andy wrote:

It just cracks me up when I do see these shows, and some of the goofballs they get to appear on them. At first they are funny, then like others have mentioned, I feel like I am watching wannabee actors as contestants. I do admit liking watching America's Funniest Home Videos, not the Bob Saget ones, but even on AFV, some of the situations are ridiculous. Man being attacked by a deer, should his wife/friends keep the camera rolling or call for help, they keep the camera rolling, a child falls and hurts himself, in an amusing way of course, run to make sure your child is okay or keep the camera rolling, you know what they did.

posted at January 1, 2007 08:22 PM

Louis wrote:

I would much rather watch a fun show like Deal or No Deal, or 1 vs 100. Where you can just tune in when there is nothing else on TV or you are bored. Then stupid dumb shows like Survivor or the Amazing Race or Big Brother. Don't these shows ever get old?

posted at January 2, 2007 07:20 PM

Lori wrote:

I have never seen such stupid people on a game show as they have on 1 VS 100, or that 'show me the money'. I watched the Shatner hour once and could not believe these people did not know any of the answers, and one female was about as stupid as a bucket of nails. Don't you think maybe they should take some sort of quiz to qualify? Okay I get that it isn't Jeopardy but really!

posted at January 3, 2007 06:19 PM

Garee wrote:

And NBC wants MORE of the "game-show/reality tv" crap for next-season! And even less scripted shows! **gasp**

posted at January 9, 2007 08:14 AM

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