Reality TV Shows

Reality television shows have received a bad reputation over the years. The reason why is simple. There is little to no writing behind these shows. Most of the show concepts are either dumb or make the viewers feel stupid just by watching them. Studio executives are not willing to pay for expensive screenwriters or story planners to come up with new program ideas and to write new content on a weekly basis. For this reason, reality TV shows are cheap to make and produce. Advertisers are still charged the same amount based on the length or popularity of the program, but now, the profit margin is larger for the studio execs. But are all reality TV shows really that bad? I don't think so.

There are two benefits to watching reality TV shows:

1. You may actually learn something.
2. You have instant company in a conversational manner.

History Channel on satellite TV has some of the more interesting reality TV shows, such as Pawn Stars, American Pickers, American Restoration, et al. With a show like Pawn Stars, you can learn the tips and tricks of bartering--a skill essential to pawning or selling one's goods. If the exchange of money doesn't interest you, then the history behind each rare or unique item brought in to the Gold & Silver pawn shop should pique your curiosity. It is entertaining and informative mainly due to the researchers who provide the taglines of historical trivia or the experts who appear on the show--from antique gun collectors to forensic signature specialists, there is always someone who knows the story behind each item.

A reality TV show like Ink Master is slightly different. First of all, the show is a competition, much like American Idol or America's Got Talent with the exception that these are professional tattoo artists who seek national fame by winning this competition. For some people, tattoos are considered art; for others, tattoos are simply ink stains upon the human skin. I fall into the latter category.

I never liked tattoos, an attitude passed down to me by my father. One time when I was visiting him in Greece, I bought a small pack of gum that contained a water tattoo of a dolphin. I liked the design, so I wet my upper arm with some saliva and stuck the water tattoo on it. A few seconds of pressure and my dolphin tattoo appeared. No harm, because water tattoos can wash off. But when my father saw it on my arm, he was so outraged that he made me take it off right away. He told me that he would disown me as his son if he ever caught me with a real tattoo. That put the fear in me. I never liked tattoos ever since then.

I still wouldn't get one even though he has passed away and I no longer seek his advice or approval for anything. But seeing these tattoo artists struggle to ply their trade on a reality TV show competition makes me appreciate their art. If it was not put on human skin, I have to admit that these tattoo artists have some real talent--just wish they would put more of it on paper than on a person.

The second point in favor of reality TV shows are their conversation manner, which provides artificial companionship for lonely people stuck at home. You listen to the show's main star or expert--the host of the show's concept--and find yourself almost having a one-sided conversation. Of course, you learn something from the host in the process, but you also feel like someone is there in the room with you, keeping you company.

Take a show like Bar Rescue. A program dedicated to turning around unsuccessful bars and pubs. They even helped Downey's on South Street in Philadelpha--the first hint to me that this was a real show. Not only is it informative and entertaining, but it is also like being at the bar with old friends. Granted, you have to get past Jon Taffer's angry yelling at the bar owners, but you get the familiar feeling of being there when the bar is full after a relaunch. And if you don't get that feeling, then you certainly want to get up off the couch and visit your local bar for some friendly conversation and beers.

The show also has some eye candy for the male viewers. Recent episodes have showcased bars with waitresses clad only in tiny bikinis or other revealing outfits. (The pirate-themed bar episode with the buxom wenches immediately comes to mind.) The sexy, jiggling bodies of the waitresses provide the lonely male viewers with some titilation and another form of artificial companionship. Of course, these types of episodes are done mainly for television rating or to help a struggling reality TV show get approval from studio execs to avoid being axed from next season's program line-up. Not sure if we will see more new episodes of Bar Rescue on Spike TV, but there is no shortage of reality TV shows that provide their audience with informative and entertaining visual delights.

~Andrew K.