when reality shows go bad

[whitehall]

Anybody think the Discovery Channel executives give a damn about the Deadliest Catch crab guys? Indications are that they get paid about $1,000 per episode. Even though one of the "stars" was found dead in a hotel room from unknown causes and others arrested on various charges from drugs to robbery the program is still a cash cow for Discovery and it was renewed for another season. There will always be other young guys willing to take risks in front of the camera and be a "star" for a little while.

 

[uscitizen]

How can "reality" shows go bad? They started out bad.

 

[whitehall]

How can "reality" shows go bad? They started out bad.

For once we agree citizen. I wish some enterprising documentary would show how "reality" shows are scripted and edited.

 

[konradv]

Wouldn't those guys be going out there, regardless of whether there's a show?

 

[whitehall]

Wouldn't those guys be going out there, regardless of whether there's a show?

My take is that they might push the limits of safety because the camera is on them and their fleeting celebrity status causes all sorts of problems including drug use and irratic behavior. The Discovery channel isn't there to help them out, it's there to make a buck off them and throw them away when the series is over.

 

[daveman]

Wouldn't those guys be going out there, regardless of whether there's a show?

My take is that they might push the limits of safety because the camera is on them and their fleeting celebrity status causes all sorts of problems including drug use and irratic behavior. The Discovery channel isn't there to help them out, it's there to make a buck off them and throw them away when the series is over.

And yet they'll still go out and catch crab when the show's over.

Do you have any idea how much they earn fishing for crab?

 

[tonystewart1]

How about the Gold Rush Alaska guys. A group of guys that couldn't stick a thumb up their collective butts without an expert. They go there fail miserably and some how come up with the seed money for a second ill advised attempt. Don't even try to tell me that Discovery is not footing the bill for this second try. How is that reality?

 

[Granny]

The first thing we have to consider is that there is no reality in "reality shows." They've all gone from the ridiculous to the sublime. I don't watch any of them, but I can't escape the "spot ads." I'm not sure which one I think is the worst of them.

 

[uscitizen]

I think of them as surreality shows Granny.
I like real reality shows like This Old House though.

 

[jamesbrown]

Really shows never go bad because in reality shows script is too good.