Saturday, September 16, 2006

Is Reality Still in Vogue?

I'm curious, honestly--I know American Idol continues to jam along, and I see a huge proliferation of these reality programs still abounding, but I want to get the pulse of the Net. Do y'all think reality program is starting to wane? I noticed a big push for the BACHELOR: ROME (Maybe they should do one at Myrtle Beach--the Beachelor....)

I will admit that even my morbid sense of curiosity got the better of me. This guy is touted as a real prince. A multi-millionaire with a castle, etc. Can this honestly be for real? Or did they buy a title for the guy and prop him up as a puppet BACHELOR prince? One must wonder.

I'm out there trawling around for new programming. Started watching HOUSE, which I'd heard about. Bryan Singer (USUAL SUSPECTS, X-MEN) is behind it in some fashion. Show creator or executive producer or whatever. That caught my attention, and I've watched a few episodes and found it genuinely engaging. On the flip side, I wanted to get into EUREKA after hearing critical raves, but so far just don't click with it. Boo. Wanted more good sci-fi channel programming to look forward to.

Meanwhile, back here on the home front I have (gasp, gasp) a DATE tonight!! With my husband, that is, in case some of you were freaking out. There's a really cool restaurant here in Madison, Town 220, and its in an historic warehouse and has a New Yorkish feel (the owner is from NYC.) Anyway, it's kind of the "it" spot on weekends, and we're heading over there for dinner and to generally have an adult moment.

I slept 13 hours last night. I think I'm still recovering from finishing Parallel Seduction (which is in with my editor now! Woo hoo!) and last weekend's Denver conference. In case some of you missed it, I did relay details about the whole event lower down on this blog.

Other events... I mastered a new life skill this weekend. There is nothing cooler than learning a new ability, especially if it involves technology. Judson's bday is coming up and the girls and I made him a movie! We're giving it to him early, and he won't be on this blog before we do, so I can confess all here and now. I actually learned how to use Microsoft movie maker, edited in bits of our home movies, overlaid them with music, and interspersed the cuts with stills. Amazing!! The best part? Tyler has a book report coming up and we'd already decided we wanted to make a commercial for the book (amazing again! This is so what I do for a living! Easy!). Now we can use this film editor together and make the commercial.

Well, over and out. hugs to all.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Woo Hoo on finishing Parallel Seduction! :)

That's a good question about Reality TV. I don't know. The two that I still watch are Idol and Amazing Race and another non reality-show that I LOVE is Grey's Anatomy!!!

Anonymous said...

Actually that's four reality shows not two because I LOVE Dancing With The Stars & So You Think You Can Dance!

I can't believe I forgot those...LOL }:)

Deidre Knight said...

Bonnie, okay, this is what I figured... that tv was still big on reality. LOL. I'm so much more into series tv, myself. I need to watch Grey's Anatomy. I know I'm missing it on that one. I love LOST, BATTLESTAR, DR. WHO, now I'm into HOUSE... hugs, d

Reel Fanatic said...

I couldn't agree with you more about Eureka ... the premise held so much promise, and I just love Joe Morton, but the show has failed to reel me in one bit

Anonymous said...

Congrats on finishing the book. What a load off, huh? When can we expect it in our hot little hands?

I've never been much of a reality show fan, other than to make fun of it. One of my characters popped up with a job as the hostess of a "faux reality" show where neither the audience nor the participants knew what was real and what wasn't.

I guess the point is that the reality concept is going to have to morph to keep up with the public's appetite for something new. It will be interesting to see where this voyeuristic trend goes next.

Hmmmm...voyeuristic, reality show...sort of has the seeds of a sordid story in it, doesn't it? My sick little mind is spinning up images of whips, chains and shirtless masked men....

Kristen Painter said...

House I adore. And I just started watching it, but thanks to summer reruns I feel pretty up to date.

I also like Criminal Minds because it's just so smart. However, I have to DVR it and watch it during daylight or things that go bump in the night freak me out.

I'm a bit of a reality tv junkie. Top Chef & Hell's Kitchen are faves. (I have a thing for chefs.) Survivor is a given. Top Model is a guilty pleasure. Dancing W/T Stars is another. Have you ever checked out Survivorman? One guy with some cameras takes on a different inhospitable terrain solo every show. Way cool.

And congrats on finishing PS. Awesome! Happy B-Day to Judson, too!

Natalie J. Damschroder said...

I never was on the reality bandwagon, but yeah, the ratings seem to be holding up, so the rest of the country appears to want it. Although, there wasn't much else worth watching this summer! I have to admit, though, it's not ALL bad. My kids LOVE Dancing with the Stars, and it's teaching them some cool stuff--ballroom dancing is interesting and challenging, for example, and it's never too late or too scary to try something new.

I like Eureka, but part of that has to be that I had nothing else to watch, when my few regular shows went on summer haitus. If I have to drop something this fall, that will be it. But there are plenty of new shows coming out that look watchable, and for the first time in YEARS, I'm really excited about TV!! LOL

Karmela said...

My absolute favorite show in the universe is The Amazing Race. So for me, yes, reality is still very much in vogue.

Marla Monroe said...

Congrats on the new life skill! I do know the feeling. Also, as far as reality TV? I don't watch TV at all. I read, that's about it. I read papers, mags, and books. LOTS of books.

Then I saw a write up on Bones and watched it and enjoyed it so much, I will watch it on Wednesday nights when I can.