A RATION OF REALITY TV by Gerrie Ferris Finger
Wikipedia defines reality TV as “Television
programming that documents unscripted situations and actual occurrences,
and often features a previously publicly unknown cast. The genre highlights
personal drama and conflict to a much greater extent than other unscripted
television such as documentary shows…”
Just a minute. With
that definition, I part ways with Wikipedia, a people’s encyclopedia I rely on
for information in writing my novels.
Reality television is about as real as
Bugs Bunny. I’ve never watched a full episode of Survivor, but I’ve seen enough outtakes to detect manipulation,
scripting, coaching, editing and lines said straight from a story board. I know
I used to write them.
A fired cast member of Storage Wars alleges in his lawsuit that
producers staged entire storage lockers that were the
subject of the auctions with valuable or unusual items to create drama and
suspense for the show, sometimes faking scenes of bidding.
No doubt from this scribbler of fiction.
Who wants to watch other people’s real trash? I have enough of my own. And Hoarders. Are people that hungry to see
others wading through garbage for an entire show?
There’s sex aplenty in reality TV. It
appears for some “stars” to start with their debut of “leaked” videos where
they’re having explicit sex with their boyfriends. (Who else?) These
untalented, fame-hungry people are turned into infamous personalities when they
are awarded their own reality TV shows. I know, they really care what I think.
Certainly, Paris Hilton and her best friends forever do not, nor would Kourtney
and Kim when they take Miami . (These shows I have never seen. I am a dedicated
researcher.)
If the producers of Duck Dynasty wanted to humiliate (as was alleged a few yeas ago) a
class of people, it backfired. I don’t know right now, but it was one of the
most popular shows on television. I’ll say this for the show, it was boring
enough to be reality.
But I’m not a total naysayer of the genre.
My first remembered TV experience (after
the real western, Gunsmoke) was when my parents could not
wait to see Candid Camera. I
researched when it came on air—in 1948. (I’m not that old, but was this the
dawn of reality TV? Some say it was the earlier live comedy shows with Sid
Caesar’s and Milton Berle, where anything could and did go wrong.)
Candid Camera (and its copycats) had a
renaissance in the seventies and was re-reincarnated again in 2014.The original
Candid Camera got old with the its
staged practical jokes, but people’s reactions were real—as far as my childhood
memories recall. Maybe I’ll tune in to the new edition. But what’s that they
say? You can’t go home again—or something old is old again?
Speaking of old reality TV, The People’s Court became reality for me
when my cousin was sued and tried on air by a roommate over a couple pieces of
furniture. He had to pay.
Are there current shows purporting to be
reality TV that I like. Yes. My husband is a devoted fan of Deadliest Catch. I’ve watched a few
episode—seen one, you’ve seen them all. I like The Next Food Network Star, not because I don’t believe it’s
staged, but because I like food shows. (My husband, OTOH, does not. Unless it’s
grilled or breakfast food, which he does quite well, he’s not interested, and
he thinks his food from the grill and griddle couldn’t be beat.)
Along the byways to my becoming a
sophisticated TV watcher (by my own account), my reality television consisted
of documentaries, television news and game shows. Today, game shows not so
much. About documentaries—favorites of mine—Wiki, says they are in the gray
area of reality TV. Ask the producers of true documentaries (not docudramas)
what they think!
My husband has added sports to my watching
reality pleasure. I play golf and I watch golf. If spitting into the grass and
muttering the F word isn’t reality, I don’ know what is. (Tiger Woods has paid
handsomely for his profanity—in cash. He doesn’t care. He’s a big reality
star.) If a fight on the baseball diamond isn’t real, it’s really good to
watch.
Lately, I’ve gravitated to talk shows.
Bill O’Reilly can get riled up and Morning Joe can get into Mika’s face. Makes
me wonder about the survivor there, and which one will get voted out with
show’s next edition?
Bio and links Gerrie Ferris Finger:
Retired journalist for The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, in
2009, Gerrie Ferris Finger won The Malice Domestic/St. Martin's Minotaur Best
First Traditional Novel Competition for THE
END GAME, released by St. Martin's Minotaur in 2010. She grew up in
Missouri, then headed further south to join the staff of the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. There,
she researched and edited the columns of humorist Lewis Grizzard and co-wrote a
news column with another reporter for three years. The series that started
there is still going strong today. Running with Wild Blood is scheduled
for release in January 2015.
My Review:
Gerrie Ferris Finger never disappoints and Running with Wild Blood is no exception.
Richard Lake, of the Atlanta Police Department, gets a cold case
when a witness suddenly gets his memory back. Lake recruits MoriahDru to look
into the murder of Juliet Trapp, 16 when she died, and a student at Winters
Farm Academy.
Review:
That's the official blurb, but this mystery is so much more.
Dru, is a licensed private detective and the owner of Child
Chase, specializing in finding missing children.
She and Richard Lake are
romantically involved which adds a bit of spice, especially when FBi Agent
Grady Locke becomes in involved in the investigation and takes a liking to Dru.
Besides descriptions of mouth-watering meals eaten by Dru and Lake, the
couple’s involvement and riding with motorcycle gangs during the investigation,
will all keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.
And yes, there are
some great gun battles. Dru is no wimp when it comes to hand-to-hand combat or
handling a gun.
I loved everything about this book. The dialogue and action
ring true, and it’s obvious the author knew of what she was writing about.
Marilyn aka F. M. Meredith
Marilyn aka F. M. Meredith
Comments
Madeline
I'm adding you to my TBR stack.
Marja McGraw