Reality TV beginning to rapidly repeat itself

by Cody Barron, staff writer

Originality and creativity are rapidly becoming a thing of the past for many television networks.

Saying that there is no decent programming available would be ludicrous.  But the fact that reality television is being aired at an all-time high shows the lack of creative inspiration in the television industry.

While reality television sky-rocketed in popularity right around the year 2000 with programs such as “Survivor” and “American Idol”, reality shows such as “COPS” and MTV’s “The Real World” date back to the 1990’s and even late 1980’s.           

Ironically enough, “COPS” was launched in the spring of 1989 after the Writers Guild of America strike in 1988.

Reality television can be entertaining, but the lack of  creativity is what makes it unappealing to many.  All a reality show essentially needs is a basic premise and contestants.  Once the producers of the show have it set up, all they have to do is sit back and watch the contestants do whatever it is they are supposed to do.  Sure, the premise and obstacles set up for the show can be good, but this just shows a certain degree of laziness among television programmers.

Even worse than the reality-television phenomenon, though, is ripped-off Japanese game show reality television.  I could not help but feel a bit insulted when I saw the advertisements for “Wipeout,” the American Broadcasting Company’s steaming pile of fraudulent summer fun.

“Most Extreme Elimination Challenge,” better known as MXC, began airing on what is now Spike in 2003.  The show used clips from a Japanese game show, “Takeshi’s Castle,” which aired in Japan from 1986-1989. 

MXC is not much of a game show so much as it is a comedy program.  The announcers, who have their voices dubbed-over mainly by the show’s producers and writers, are very eccentric and sarcastic in their commentary to help establish the show’s comedic value.  The hilarious, but often painful-looking, stunt failures, coupled with the commentating style of the show’s hosts are the, two prime contributors to the show’s outstanding success.  

“Wipeout” might as well have called their show, “ABC’s Americanized, Blatent Rip-Off of MXC.”  Not only do the stunts and obstacles obviously replicate those featured on MXC, the announcers use a very similar style of commentary. 

Another fine example is Fox’s “Hole In The Wall.”  The show prides itself on the fact that it has “been a hit all over the world, and now it’s finally here in America.”

This is pathetic.  The programmers and writers who get these television shows on the air are paid essentially by the people who watch their shows.  If it’s not even worth their time of day to create fresh, original programming for me to enjoy, it’s not worth my time to watch the garbage they provide for us.