Trendy or Trashy - "I'll Be Watching You"

Ok, so I thought it would be a good idea to write about the latest trend on TV, you know the 'real-life' shows, MTV's "Real World", CBS's "Survivor" and "Big Brother." We have moved full-force into the world of voyeurism television.

The reason I thought that this is an interesting topic to explore is that I am finding that I have conflicting feelings about the whole thing. As a concept, I think that the idea of prying into the lives of ordinary people and basically spying on them is morally and ethically wrong. But on the other hand, I, like so many others, am drawn to watching how these people act and react to the situations they have placed themselves in.

Being Canadian, I am a relative newcomer to the whole "Real World" thing on MTV. I was introduced to it during the Hawaii season, and am now religiously watching the New Orleans season. MTV seems to have honed the concept of putting people together and seeing what happens. There are a couple of things that separate the "Real World" from these other, more recent shows that I find interesting. All of the cast members on "Real World" are young, in their early 20's and in college, they all think that they are smarter and more insightful than they really are, and they all come into the situation with a ton of emotional baggage!

From what I have seen, MTV follows a sort of formula as well with the people that they choose for the "Real World" experience. They select groups who represent ethnic, sexual and economic diversity. One has to think that this is done almost in order to encourage an atmosphere of conflict. And as everyone knows, conflict makes good television!

"Survivor" for the most part bothers me. I think that the concept of dropping people off on some remote, uninhabited part of the world and making a game show out of it is just terrible. We are proving with a show like this how much society has deteriorated and how it has really been reduced to a level of depravity.

Audiences are no longer simply 'entertained' by fictious stories and ideas. Suspension of disbelief (sorry, Drama term) has gone out the window. Viewers have been pushing for things that are more 'real' and, the television networks have answered the call. Not only is "Survivor" satisfying the desire for 'real' but by giving it the game show element, CBS has ensured that their show will not only generate conflict, but necessitate it.

I am really bothered by the fact that millions of Americans have been tuning in week after week to see a group of people fend for themselves, fight against each other and actually put Darwinism into practice by 'voting' someone off the island each week. Survival of the fittest at its best. These people have been eating rats and bugs; they have been deprived of a basic quality of life, and for what? The fifteen minutes of fame? These 'castaways' are celebrities now, appearing on talk shows and in magazines.

Lastly, there is the newest member of the voyeurism genre, "Big Brother". Another CBS creation, I guess due to the success of "Survivor" they thought, hey, lets put 10 people in a 'house' with the basic necessities, no contact with the outside world and cameras everywhere! Ya, sounds great! Worked in Europe, so let the US at it!

As bothered I am with "Survivor" I am actually finding "Big Brother" somewhat intriguing. Not only can you watch the show the several times a week that it is broadcast, but we can spy on the "Big Brother" cast any time, via the Internet. I have found myself checking them out periodically, and I don't know why. It's not as though they are going to be doing anything all that spectacular, just a lot of talking about people behind their backs and hanging out. (But hey, that's what happens on the "Real World".... and I like that? Hmmm.... What does that say about me?)

As I said at the beginning, the thing that I am having trouble with the most is that I really don't know what I am drawn to about these shows. I enjoy "Real World" because there is no competition to it, and the cast members get situated in an exciting city, in a beautiful house and that it is actually quite funny to listen to these people analyze and intellectualize about each other.

The CBS shows however, I do have problems with. Their format and nature is to pit people against each other for entertainment purposes. Right now, as I am writing this, "Big Brother" is in the process of 'banishing' the first person from the house. Last week there was an hour-long show dedicated to the nominations of two people for 'banishment'. For an entire week, the two nominated people are having to live in an environment where they are not wanted, waiting to hear the result of the audience poll, to see who America thinks does not belong there. How awful that must be.

I guess what it all comes down to is that people really will do anything for money. Personally, I would rather be seated across from Regis, giving my "final answer" for a chance to win a million.

So whether you love or hate the new voyeurism TV shows, what seems abundantly clear is that television is moving in a new direction, where the invasion of personal privacy is the big seller. Ok, fine, but ask yourself this one question: where will the line be drawn and what if it were you?