Alternative reality?
29 Dec 2017
Dear LPG,
Once upon a time many would turn to a good play or film in order to escape their reality for a short while. But since the turn of this century the reality show is king on UK TV, and most of the western world has jumped onto this ‘bandwagon’.
There are a few different genres to choose from. We have the competitions including ‘‘Britain’s Got Talent’, which stemmed from that old standard, ‘Opportunity Knocks’. Over the years the voting has become big business, often costing a lot more than just a phone call, and the app now leads the way. We watch to see the unknown talent rise to stardom and perhaps we, the British public, feel more personally instrumental about the part we play in pushing the Jim Davidsons and Susan Boils through to the celebrity status that they have attained. But over the years we have arrived at shows where we are ready to laugh at many of the contestants as well as empathise with them while they sing, diet, date, be voted the most beautiful, dance and cook their way to stardom.
And then there are, what I call, the shows where people are put into unnatural situations together with cameras, hidden or otherwise, so that we can watch them 24/7. Perhaps ‘Big Brother’ is the one that comes to mind first. When that started ordinary people were chosen from the streets but then came the celebrity version, not to mention ‘I’m a celebrity’ which is specifically geared toward celebrities.
There are so many of these programmes and they are made because so many of us are willing to watch them; not to mention the ‘spin off’ shows which provoke even more opinions and comment. I have to say that I am as guilty as the next person, but I am still not sure what makes me enjoy watching other people, famous or otherwise, argue, be tricked, eat awful things or be denied food, be sanctioned and placed in surreal situations and quarrel with each other in public.
How does this help us to feel better about our own realities?
DY, Forest Hill
