REEL WRONG We have been in a struggle of a sort for some months concerning our favorite TV shows, and in, not just one, but two categories.
One has been the so-called "reality" shows making various forms forms of danger and risk more acceptable in the American home. The other kind of a TV show is any which gives away large chunks of money or fame-and-fortune as a moo la gartering sideline. Both so-called "reality" shows and those decked-out to offer ways to give away large chunks of moo la which would enable the participant to purchase paradise on their own.
We have worried purple tizzy new realms of danger less peril witless wanderings into other culture to enjoy eating worms and other such tribal delicatenesses TV show producers have decided that the best way to improve TV viewing is to swing a pendulum over a pit and see how far we can stretch it before it snaps. This is an especially interesting avenue of exploration because one would think producers might seek out writers, or entire schools of capable writers and encourage to write some original program material.
In recent years our TV seasons have have started off with brawny blustering s extolling a "new" show which is, you are not supposed to notice seems to be "very much like" one running recently in England. It's a mistake to decide anything that does well in London will do extremely well here. Such buyers, when they come across a vendor will accept the new out of his own ignorance. We, as viewers, have been in some interesting situations. Remember when "Dallas" was all the rage? People were upset when a player was shot to death in his shower. Now, decades later, there is a rumor they are going to say it was all a dream and bring the show back again. By saying the final show long they can bring the show back? Conan Doyle, they contend, did it, in a way, when he had Sherlock Holmes and his rival Dr swept over the edge of a high waterfall and crush each other to death on the sharp rocks below. It was just "elementary" to have Sherlock solving cases once again.
I remember the last gasps of The "Amos 'n Andy" show on radio how Andy was accused of murder and the 7 PM episodes dragged it on-and-on until they found it was all a dream, Andy woke up and all was well again. The series died on radio and when revived to try TV a bit late racial irritations of that era gave it..."Beulah",
and "Stepin Fetchit" ....all the big heave ho!
We have in case after case revised TV shows from England and ad re-hashed them for American audiences. Several did well, but are mere shadows now. Others sank quickly and quietly in oblivion.
One way used to jump-start older creations is to pay generous packets of hard cash to American writers, plus others from England for that matter, for them to write truly new material for TV use. The reality shows of many formats in been successful for a time. Some arrive in feeble condition at local re-work labs to be resuscitated by gimmicks which are added to make them more attractive to state-side viewers.
"Millionaire"," Surviver","Idol" and "Dancing With the Stars" are among those which have done well. Their success causes producers and network officials to become even more committed to bringing more-and-more second-hand newness to our TV screens.
"Reality" is - currently - fantasy.
Andrew McCaskey Sr amccsr@comcast.net 1-31-07 [c623wds]
