Which Oz reality show should be scrapped off TV?
March 18th 2008 03:29
With all the new reality shows that have made it on primetime in 08, like So you Think you Can Dance? Australia and The Chopping Block with more to come mid-year, you’d hope they’d finally get rid of some reality shows that have run well over their use-by date.
Out of all the reality shows that creep back into Oz TV year after year, despite the decline in ratings in recent years, Big Brother has to be my #1 reality show to be scrapped. Tuning in to Channel Ten at 7pm everyday for a half-hour of watching a bunch of young, energetic people with no inhibitions cavorting with each other, seemed like an entertaining idea in 2001, especially at the time when TV wasn’t so inundated with other reality shows from the US. We saw the likes of Sara Marie who was a little annoying at first but proved to be annoyingly lovable by the end, Saxon unashamedly crying out for his mum after the departure of Jo ‘the bunny with the lisp’, with the prize money always going to that all-round nice person who flew under the radar for much of the airtime. But now, watching a bunch of people hamming it up for the cameras, showing their butt cracks on national TV and talking about the most inane stuff is like having sex with the first available guy you meet at a club when you’re feeling horny, leaving you feeling dirty and wishing you could take back the last 30 minutes (or 1 minute) of your life back. And seeing these same annoying people participating in Friday Night Live, under the encouragement of ex-housemates, the charismatic-less Fitzy and Bree with that other guy is just plain pathetic. Having the most obnoxious radio host Kyle Sandilands with his puppet Jackie O replacing Gretel as hosts in 08 won’t improve my opinion of this show either.
The first season of Australian Idol was full of talent and promise, with very little controversy. The only controversial incidents I could think of were Rob Mills’ inexplicable length of stay in the show, despite singing like an entertainer on a cruise liner, and Dicko’s ‘fat’ comment to Pauline. But, since the debacle that was Casey Donovan winning in Season 2 and prompty disappearing afterwards, this show continues to go downhill and I’m not surprised I’m not the only one to think so, with the show having the most dismal ratings in 2007 – despite the return of Dicko to the judging panel. Talent and competition flew out the window, to be replaced by the 4 judges trying to outdo each other and Mark becoming more and more bizzare as the season progressed, his ‘touchdowns’ becoming so lame he had to do it in the dark and pushing contestants’ buttons (think Tarisai) for the sake of the ratings. It’s truly a bizarre season when you find Kyle Sandilands, formerly of ‘that dress emphasises your muffin top’ and ‘what’s with the hair?” making the most sensible comments with Dicko too caught up trying to belittle Mark and Marcia offering the most vague feedback, she might as well not be there. But this year, Australian Idol is determined to improve ratings, not only looking for Aussie talent overseas but also axing Mark who’s now threatening to publish his diary he wrote throughout last year’s show. It goes to show how far AI has fallen for me when I’m actually looking forward more to reading Holden’s most innermost thoughts than watching a new batch of contestants singing their hearts out.
Speaking of singing, who cringes and is reminded of cats in the alley rummaging for food when they hear certain ‘celebrities’ singing a ballad on It Takes Two? I can no longer count the number of songs that had previously been favourites of mine that I now can’t listen to without gagging or twitching, because it’s been mauled so brutally on the show. I especially hate the way some of the judges sugarcoat their comments so as not to offend some overly sensitive celebrities’ egos, and when are they going to get rid of Jade McRae? I flipped to the show about two weeks ago and without looking, I honestly didn’t know who was the so-called professional singer and who was the celebrity attempting to sing. Unfortunately, I seem to be in the minority who can’t stand this show as it continues to rake in around 1.5 million viewers since its premier in 2005. Give it time, I say.
Which reality tv show are you sick of?
The first season of Australian Idol was full of talent and promise, with very little controversy. The only controversial incidents I could think of were Rob Mills’ inexplicable length of stay in the show, despite singing like an entertainer on a cruise liner, and Dicko’s ‘fat’ comment to Pauline. But, since the debacle that was Casey Donovan winning in Season 2 and prompty disappearing afterwards, this show continues to go downhill and I’m not surprised I’m not the only one to think so, with the show having the most dismal ratings in 2007 – despite the return of Dicko to the judging panel. Talent and competition flew out the window, to be replaced by the 4 judges trying to outdo each other and Mark becoming more and more bizzare as the season progressed, his ‘touchdowns’ becoming so lame he had to do it in the dark and pushing contestants’ buttons (think Tarisai) for the sake of the ratings. It’s truly a bizarre season when you find Kyle Sandilands, formerly of ‘that dress emphasises your muffin top’ and ‘what’s with the hair?” making the most sensible comments with Dicko too caught up trying to belittle Mark and Marcia offering the most vague feedback, she might as well not be there. But this year, Australian Idol is determined to improve ratings, not only looking for Aussie talent overseas but also axing Mark who’s now threatening to publish his diary he wrote throughout last year’s show. It goes to show how far AI has fallen for me when I’m actually looking forward more to reading Holden’s most innermost thoughts than watching a new batch of contestants singing their hearts out.
Speaking of singing, who cringes and is reminded of cats in the alley rummaging for food when they hear certain ‘celebrities’ singing a ballad on It Takes Two? I can no longer count the number of songs that had previously been favourites of mine that I now can’t listen to without gagging or twitching, because it’s been mauled so brutally on the show. I especially hate the way some of the judges sugarcoat their comments so as not to offend some overly sensitive celebrities’ egos, and when are they going to get rid of Jade McRae? I flipped to the show about two weeks ago and without looking, I honestly didn’t know who was the so-called professional singer and who was the celebrity attempting to sing. Unfortunately, I seem to be in the minority who can’t stand this show as it continues to rake in around 1.5 million viewers since its premier in 2005. Give it time, I say.
Which reality tv show are you sick of?
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Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Have been sucked into them in the beginning but they really need to go now. It has become pandemic.
Mich
Comment by Holly Go Lightly
Movie Mage
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Aimzster
Health and Beauty
Reality TV
The Jeepney Stop
Thanks, Holly. I hate BB with a vengeance!
Tracy, exactly - patronising and dull. After a while, it's not even about the competiton anymore, it's the controversy.