Welcome back to TV or Not TV where I admit that I am a reality television addict.
I am sure that I, like anyone else, has certain reality television show favorites that they take in. Some reality shows I love and refuse to miss, some fall by the way side for me (an example of the latter is the CBS staple Survivor). In my case, however, my tastes usually go against the grain and I prefer the not so popular shows.
Two of my regulars are The Biggest Loser and Big Brother. Like most shows of the genre both have contestants voting each other out and in the end the winner gets some type of grand prize. Both feature challenges. Both can be heavily influenced by player interaction. Both can be edited to portray people in whatever light the producers choose.
As noted in last week’s column, The Biggest Loser had the finale for their sixth season this past week. If you aren’t familiar with the show let me sum it up for you. People unsatisfied with their weight are chosen as contestants in a competition where the goal is to be one of three finalists who loses the greatest percentage of body weight. The contestants spend four months living on “The Ranch” where they are subjected to physical and mental challenges as well as grueling 4 to 8 hour workout days. Every week they are weighed in and those scoring the least percentage of body weight lost are subject to a vote by their peers for elimination. In the end, however, only three compete for a $250,000 cash prize. Those voted off, however, are still motivated to try to lose more weight at home to compete for a $100,000 cash prize.
The week prior to the finale of The Biggest Loser we were able to see the final four contestants receive the same news that the season five competitors received: a phone in voting campaign would decide the third contestant to be in the final three, with the player receiving the least votes being stuck back in the at home competition category. I bring this item up because it served up some interesting complications for the remaining competitors in the game (that the rest of us, who could one day become reality tv stars, should pay attention to). With the season finale we saw a married couple competing for the third slot, Ed and Heba Brantley. In their final pleas that they recorded at The Ranch we saw Heba stating why she should be chosen and Ed stating why Heba should be chosen. This was immediately after a weigh in where Ed some how had gained two pounds instead of losing, something that team trainer Bob stated had to be game play so Ed could see his wife get into the finals. Where was the real complication I mentioned? America voted for Ed to be in the final three, leaving Heba to compete for (and win) the at home consolation prize. Why is this a complication? If America had voted the other way Heba had enough weight loss to win the grand prize and walk away with the title of this season’s Biggest Loser.
The reason why I bring all of this up is because I see one thing that seems to happen time and time again in reality television, and it is a cycle that could easily be broken if people were to keep a level head in these crazy experiences that they get themselves in to. It is one thing to play a game and do it in front of the American public, but you have to remember that your every action can be edited to make you appear to be the villain or victim in any given situation. Whether Heba was either isn’t relevant since she, as a player, provided the producers with enough content to give them exactly what any show runner would want: a villian that stirs up the pot and causes drama. Nothing gets ratings (or viewers that come back) like drama. If you go on a reality television show try to keep your behaviour balanced folks.
Another interesting side note to The Biggest Loser story this season’s other qualifying finalist Vicky. This woman wasn’t cast in a very nice light during the run of the show and it turns out that people have been harassing the woman via phone and mail. I’m sure that Ed and Heba have also received similar treatment given their alliance with Vicky. What baffles me about this type of behaviour is that people can be this motivated by a television show to take action against the peopel playing it. I enjoy television, I’ve seen some really nasty reality television, but I’ve never been so stoked with anger or hatred for someone I’ve seen on TV that I’ve taken the time to research who they are, where they live, how to contact them and then actually write a letter or make a phone call. Hearing this type of thing makes me feel a little ashamed to write a column about television. It’s just TV folks.
That all being said, let’s see what I think there is to offer on TV this week.
MONDAY
ABC – 8:00 PM: If you missed the showing earlier this month of Shrek The Halls than you are in luck. It’s on again tonight.
NBC – 8:00 PM: Today goes prime time with 2008: Today Looks Back, A Holiday Special. Apparently there are only five items newsworthy enough to look back on. I guess the year really did suck for everyone.
CBS – 8:30 PM: Any regular reader knows I’m a fan of How I Met Your Mother and this repeat of Slapsgiving was a great payoff to a joke set up earlier in that season.
COMEDY – 9:00 PM: If you didn’t shell out the money for the DVD of Futurama: Beast With a Billion Backs than you can watch it free (with commercials) tonight.
TUESDAY
CBS – 8:00 PM: The 10th Annual A Home for the Holidays Special features musical performances and inspirational stories of adoption.
ABC – 8:00 PM: There was no greater choice than Boris Karloff for voicing the title green meanie in Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
TLC – 8:00 PM: See if Manual Uribe reached his weight loss goal as World’s Heaviest Man takes a return visit to see his progress.
WEDNESDAY
For a lot of people it’s Christmas Eve so here’s what you can watch after that last minute shopping is finally done and you are up to your eyeballs in eggnog.
NBC – 8:00 PM: The Peacock wasn’t happy enough having me cry just once so It’s a Wonderful Life is on again tonight.
FOX – 8:00 PM: If you aren’t a fan of the holidays than tonight’s episode of Bones might make you smile with Santa in the Slush.
TBS – 8:00 PM: Only one thing in the world could’ve dragged you away from the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window, and that’s 24 hours of A Christmas Story.
THURSDAY
FX – 7:00 AM: Ice Age: The Meltdown is on for the next 14 hours, providing you the perfect thing to distract the little ones with when you need that break.
FOOD – 7:00 PM: Pastry chef’s are put to the Food Network Challenge of making ginger bread houses and I’m put to the challenge of not finding sugary treats to eat while watching.
TLC – 8:00 AM: An all day marathon of Little People, Big World can help you to not sweat the small stuff.
COMEDY – 8:00 PM: Still not a fan of the holidays? Enjoy a slightly sanitized version of Bad Santa.
FRIDAY
TNT – 8:00 PM: Take in Con-Air… and be sure to put the bunny back in the box.
BRAVO – 8:00 PM: If Con-Air didn’t have enough testosterone for you than I would recommend Heat.
ABC Family – 8:00 PM: Didn’t buy Nicolas Cage as a former Army Ranger and Ex-Con? How about Nicolas Cage as an investment banker who gets a glimpse at how his life could have been in The Family Man?
SATURDAY
NBC – 8:00 PM: OK, this is a new one on me. NBC has Bob Costas and Matt Lauer host a special where they look back at The Bejing Olympic Opening Ceremony. I guess I can’t blame them. The original airing garnered 2 billion people world wide. This has to bring them some viewers, right?
AMC – 8:00 PM: Last night we had two Nicolas Cage choices, so you can see Sandra Bullock get abused by her boss (and find love of course) in Two Weeks Notice.
OXYGEN – 8:00 PM: Sorry folks, if you target Sandra Bullock flicks in most cases you are going to get sappy romantic films. The Lake House is no exception.
SUNDAY
ABC – 7:00 PM: Here is a completely useless fact that will mean nothing to you: In my 37 years on this planet I have never seen The Sound of Music. Will I end that streak tonight? Not sure.
AMC – 8:00 PM: Sometimes AMC has some really interesting choices. Tonight they have Fargo at 8 followed by Hannibal at 10. I could probably sit and watch this channel the entire night.
HIST – 8:00 PM: The History Channel premiered Valkyrie: The Plot to Kill Hitler back on November 24, but with the release of the movie Valkyrie this may be an interesting documentary to take in both before or after taking in the film.
– Will Wilkins is not The Biggest Loser.
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