My Non-reality Reality

Like many of you, I have enjoyed watching television throughout my life, but recently have turned more to books and the Internet for my entertainment needs. I am trying to increase my knowledge and literary skills. Also, I am dismayed by the changes that I see in the TV of the 2010s, as it is almost completely dominated by mindless reality shows.

I have always hated reality shows. I never once watched Survivor, The Amazing Race or any such program. My problems with reality shows include: the lack of a well-developed plot, unknown actors and actresses, filmed interviews woven into the episodes and really pathetic uses of sex appeal. The actors are largely untested and unskilled, suiting the bottom lines of media corporations, but not entertaining for the enlightened viewer. As for the sex appeal, I as a single guy, do enjoy seeing beautiful and sexy women; however, the overuse of this tool often indicates an inferior plot.

When I do watch TV nowadays, I tend to watch either cable news or episodes from seasons of old TV shows that my dad or I own on DVD. My dad's seasons of Columbo are particularly entertaining; it was the very best of 70s cop shows, playing up the nitty-gritty of detective work in a way that intrigues the viewer. I also love watching the King of Queens, because it has a unique way of making me laugh. It is a humor that everyone can relate to, and we all feel like Doug Heffernan is a lifelong friend. For a while, I was into watching cable news shows, but now, in 2017, they are too depressing, just as we all need to think about positive, uplifting things.

However, in the past, in the 2000s, I used to watch more TV than I do now. I bought a TV and VCR/DVD player in 2003, so from then to about 2011, I watched a lot of shows on TV. This was the period when reality shows had just come into existence and were merely a novelty that sometimes haunted only a few stations. I mostly enjoyed the crime shows of the period, but also viewed shows on history and other informative topics. I loved watching the CSI shows, including CSI: Miami and CSI: NY. I particularly liked the roles played by William Peterson, David Caruso and Gary Sinise. I also loved Cold Case and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

During this period, the History Channel was a favorite channel of mine. I was totally enthralled by the specials they had on the Vikings, the Middle Ages, the ancient Romans and the barbarian invasions of the 4th and 5th centuries. Even the programs on sex and the Devil were pretty interesting and provocative. Social history is often just as interesting as learning about the major battles and political rulers. From 2004 to the late 2000's, the History Channel was at its best.

The one exception for me, with regard to reality shows, was the show Scare Tactics. I thought that it was presented in such a way as to seem 100% real, and it was entertaining! Shannen Doherty was especially sexy and entertaining when hosting it. She was perfect for the role, due to her naughty, feisty personality. This was just when she was coming off her role as Hollywood's bad girl.

Even into the early 2010s, there were a few good shows left on TV, but the Great Recession was leading TV stations to pack the schedule with reality shows. During this period I mostly watched shows like 1,001 Ways to Die, Criminal Minds, Archer, Sons of Anarchy and, of course, re-runs of CSI: NY that were played on TNT. Archer, for those of you who don't know, is a raunchy, but fun adult cartoon. The Sons of Anarchy appealed to the dark side of the imagination. These shows made TV worth watching, even when the number of reality shows increasing like cancer cells.

Now, however, with the demise of modern television, I have discovered that relying on the word is better than being programmed by modern television to be a mindless zombie. I can spend my time improving my blog, exploring the blogosphere and reading exciting new books. I'd rather become more of a literary man than be up on the latest scoop relating to a favorite character in some stupid reality show.