Watching Reality TV

This is something which I’ve wondered about many times in the last couple of years.  It’s not good news to reality TV fans, or to this website.  Newsweek and MSNBC.com recently released an article speculating on the future of reality TV.  The prognosis isn’t very good.  Considering that the founder of modern day reality TV, Mark Burnett himself, has put out several new shows this summer that are bombing rather spectacularly causes one to wonder if the “thrill is gone” when it comes to reality TV.  He’s an executive producer of “On the Lot” and “Pirate Master” both, and there was a lot of hype and marketing for both shows throughout the spring months.  Now?  The shows aren’t doing so well, the viewers aren’t tuning in and the future of reality TV would appear to be on the line. What do you think?  Do you think that reality TV is just a flash in the pan or will there always be a reality show around to watch and enjoy?

When I saw the headline for this new article, I thought, “What, is it a slow news day?” It’s hardly breaking news that ABC’s reality hit “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is a bit of a tear jerker. In an interview in the January 29 issue of OK! Weekly, some of the show’s designers dish up about the emotional toll the show takes on them. One only has to watch an episode or two of the show and watch the designers tear up multiple times during the building of yet another dream house to know this is true. In fact, one could make a drinking game out of it; take a drink each time a designer cries. That is, of course, if you weren’t busy tearing up yourself.

Designer Tracey Hutson said, “Sometimes it gets a little hard because you can’t help but have empathy for these families; especially since I’ve become a mom myself, I get even more emotional.” Her cohort and co-star Paige Hemmis says, “I keep in touch with a lot of the families because we genuinely care.” And the ladies aren’t the only ones who get choked up. Carpenter Ed Sanders said, “It’s impossible not to get affected by the stories of these families.”

I figure working on this show has to extremely hard work. Long hours, lots of traveling, sincerely physical work. But I doubt there are many more jobs that are more rewarding in the end. Good work, guys.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, ABC, Paige Hemmis, Tracey Hutson, Ed Sanders