how real do we want reality shows to be...

the earliest instance of a reality show i can rememeber is the truman show...a movie where Jim Carrey lives his entire life on a make believe movie set town, with everyone around him an actor playing a part which is scripted. the only unknown is truman...but his behaviour is also moulded, his actions directed by a Godman director...nice movie...asks a lot of questions.

but apparently reality shows have been their since 1930's, candid camera was one of the first such show.

why this, well have been thinking about reality shows for a long time, and today there is this story in ToI, rakhi sawant after her swayamvar is now working on another reality show where she and her new hubby take care of their new born...

it was revolting just to read this, imagine the kid. even at that age, it will leave an impression.

anyways to a larger question, are reality shows really real, and if they are, how much reality should you show, and what are the effects of it?

well i don't think reality shows of the kind where random people are put in situation is really real. even if there isin't a script, the made up situations they need to deal with, the way the host's prod them with leading questions, heck, the way the participants are chosen (roadies has most from Chandigarh and Delhi, people you know are more on likely to fight and play politics and be flashy), everything is scripted in such a way that the outcomes are almost known. they know that masala makes viewers watch...and everything is scripted such that it evokes a lot of masala.

the counter argument people give, is that, well, its reality, this actually happens in families, if you put random people together, thats exactly how they will react. well agreed that there is always politics, malicious ways and strategizing, but not in such compressed form. there isn't so much of it in a one month period is there? and also the reactions might be natural, but the situations are made up...

should everything be shown, NO...please, there are somethings i don't want to see, i don't want anyone wants to see. all we are doing is showing behaviour which other wise is revolting and making the audience think that it is fine, part of life. the audience, us, become conditioned to accept such behaviour. we are promoting the evil side of humans, conditioning us to say, its part of life, chalta hai, sab karte hai...

and frankly, unless you have some sort of evil, the shows won't sell. even an innocent show like "Jon & Kate + 8" had a jump in viewership once they couple started drifting apart!!!

i guess, reality shows are fine, but as long as they are moderated. there are shows like the amazing race, Alaskan Experiment, man vs wild, jon & Kate + 8, all reality shows, but moderated versions, which actually show reality and coaxed up reality.

and where are all the funny serials gone...i don't see a single good comedy on the hindi channels, even the english one's have pathetic ones...