This weekend I decided that it was about time that I took the time to get really acquainted with some reality TV shows that are going on right now, the major problem I faced was that due to my ignorance no starting place was present, and thus I sought out a reality TV "life coach" which ended up being one of my best friend's girlfriend Anna. I knew she was perfect for the job when she uttered the phrased "oh, I love this couple, they are so dysfunctional! lol", which made me sad for this whole generation, but I promised myself I wouldn't be to harsh and face this battle face on with the least amount of reality TV prejudice as I could muster, and so she led me through some of the "basics" as she puts them. We had spoken about where to start and in the end we decided that we should avoid the more popular shows for now and instead focus on some of the other surrounding shows that are slowly taking over our television, and so my big fat absurd reality TV show weekend began.
My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding/American Gypsy Wedding
If it wasn't for the fact that I have two very good friends that are Gypsy at home, this show would have had no entertainment value for me, though there is an important observation that needs to be made, when you watch the London show (which is the first show we watched) you instantly become shocked at what's on TV but when you watch the American version you quickly begin to miss the London show with thoughts like "Oh, I guess that show wasn't so bad after all". You know your morals (between good and bad television) are getting warped when you begin looking at a trashy show as "not so bad" compared to a super trashy show. This might be the permanent psychological damage I suffered this weekend talking here but I can see how the London show could be popular, I wouldn't mind sitting down and giving it another chance.
Mob Wives
I grew up in a house with two sisters so this isn't my first rodeo when facing any "wives" themed reality show, or at least that's what I though before I started watching this show. Anna thought that starting with "Mob Wives" would be a better transition into the other "wives" shows with that same logic of "if you can face the worst of it then you will enjoy the 'still bad but not so bad' other shows", looking back I cringe at that logic. I want to say that this show wasn't that bad, and I want to say that this show had some depth to it but I can't, I just can't, I'm sorry, this show is horrible, just plain bad. This is a "Jersey Shore: The Grown Up Years" type of show, they stoop lower and lower begging for better ratings, the sad thing is that they might just get them and therefore be encouraged to make more episodes *cringe*.
Real Wives of New Jersey
One would imagine that this would be the show where the "Jersey Shore: Later Years" joke would apply but surprisingly it's not. As I watched this show I was actually entertained a little and as I watched I quickly realized what had happen, it was a trap, Anna had shown me a horrible show so that I would come to appreciate a not so horrible show and I was appreciating it, *cringes*, I'm still recovering from the experience. For once I think they should have a show about legit moms, name it something like "Real Sane Wives" and show the drama that takes place in a good home with a good wife that is not a stereotype. There is so much drama that populates our lives why would we need a stereotype in order to take things over the top? Plus when they say "Real Wives New Jersey" or "Real Wives Miami" all they are saying is "Miami Stereotypical Wives" and so forth, if you think about the nature of the show I think it kind of offends women within those regions, maybe networks will do a sane show one of these days.
Tough Love
By this point "Tough Love" was a welcomed breath of air, here is a show about helping single women battle their demons in order to aid them in possibly being able to attain good relationships after the show. The concept and flow of the show is a good one, I like the fact that this is a process instead of a one episode thing so it looks legit, and as you watch the show you quickly become aware as to what these girls' problems are and you want to see them change. Out of all the shows we watched I felt that this one was the most OK one, I wouldn't voluntarily sit down and immerse myself into it but if Anna were to be watching it again I would sit down and watch it with her. As we watched I started to learn about all the other shows that followed this same premise from Anna, which gave me hope for this generation, a little hope at least. Nothing though could have prepared me for what came next.
Long Island Medium
It took all my strength, everything that I had in me for me to sit there and watch this show, nothing could have prepared me for it and though Anna tried to do so by showing me all those other shows first, I still could not handle the absurdity of this show, I had a *facepalm* moment every other scene or so, I think I might need psychological care after being face to face with this absurd show. I don't know what it is about it, if it's her over the top style (play on stereotype), mothering skills (play on the wives motif), her clear need for attention (reminded me of tough love), or if I just had had enough, either way this show offended any sanity I had still lingering within me. Here is a show I will never watch again, they'll be playing seasons of this show on repeat in hell, no greater torture exists.
The Aftermath
I sought to include all the most absurd shows we watched this weekend here, Anna thought that these shows were the necessary dosage of crazy I needed to be faced with before she showed me all the good reality TV shows out there, so I'll be doing a follow up article soon highlighting all the better reality TV shows out there. As I went through this painful experience an idea came to mind, that there should exist a show about watching reality TV shows, like put a group of guys that have never faced the world of absurd reality TV in a room and video them going through the experience, that ought to be a funny show or maybe I think so now after I lost some of my sanity. Honestly though there are some good shows out there, I'll tell you one thing, after this weekend I have come to understand why the Kardashians have such a strong following, when your competition is any of the shows above how could you not be the top rated reality TV show on television?
I hope this week goes well for you and for those that will be officially starting summer break we wish you a good and safe summer,
Love from your humble blogger,
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