I'm not sure Iron Chef qualifies. It's a straight out contest show, completely episodic. It's... culinary speed chess, not "reality".
Mind you, I like culinary speed chess
Reality TV: Good or Bad?
- Thread starter Knightfall
- Start date
I'm not sure Iron Chef qualifies. It's a straight out contest show, completely episodic. It's... culinary speed chess, not "reality".
Mind you, I like culinary speed chess
Well, "Reality TV" is a new term that now covers a LOT of genres- technically, sports is "reality tv."
But most of what is called reality tv ARE episodic competitions:
1) Fear Factor and Estate of Panic are competitions of endurance.
2) Rock of Love, The Bachelor, Next and their ilk are all competitions to win a date, spouse or some other kind of significant other.
3) Next Top Model, The Apprentice and the like are all competitions to win jobs.
4) Great Race, Survivor, Big Brother? All competitions for money.
Iron Chef certainly qualifies...though all you get is accolades of your fans and peers.
But most of what is called reality tv ARE episodic competitions:
1) Fear Factor and Estate of Panic are competitions of endurance.
2) Rock of Love, The Bachelor, Next and their ilk are all competitions to win a date, spouse or some other kind of significant other.
3) Next Top Model, The Apprentice and the like are all competitions to win jobs.
4) Great Race, Survivor, Big Brother? All competitions for money.
Iron Chef certainly qualifies...though all you get is accolades of your fans and peers.
Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
I tried watching Iron Chef but I couldn't stand it. It really bugs me for some reason. I only liked it when Futurama spoofed it.
Ahnehnois
First Post
Reality TV has had some positive impacts. It's forced scripted TV shows to innovate or die, and as most networks are running 'reality' shows, more high quality stuff is on cable now-there are tons of great scripted shows with great concepts and people and budgets on various cable networks. If we're lucky, reality TV may even kill off the 'sitcom'. The movement in TV in movies towards realism, even in science fiction (e.g. Battlestar Galactica or The Dark Knight) probably has something to do with the rise of reality TV.
Of course, most reality TV is worthless beyond all that.
Of course, most reality TV is worthless beyond all that.
horacethegrey
First Post
Personally I really don't think in terms of whether it's "good or bad" when it comes to reality TV. Like all things, it can have it's share of good and bad.
The good examples of for me are those shows where professionals within a certain field get to strut their stuff for the audiences at home. Top Chef, The Apprentice, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol and even Project Runaway fall into this category. Since in reality I'm neither a chef, a business exec nor a fashion designer, such shows hold my attention since they feature a craft and field I'm not familiar with.
The bad stuff I liken to those voyeuristic enterprises where we get to watch "average" joes makes fools of themselves 24/7. I've never liked Big Brother, Survivor holds no appeal for me. And don't get me started on those horrid Bachelor shows! Ugh.
Reality TV is here to stay I think. But let's have more of the good stuff rather than the bad.
The good examples of for me are those shows where professionals within a certain field get to strut their stuff for the audiences at home. Top Chef, The Apprentice, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol and even Project Runaway fall into this category. Since in reality I'm neither a chef, a business exec nor a fashion designer, such shows hold my attention since they feature a craft and field I'm not familiar with.
The bad stuff I liken to those voyeuristic enterprises where we get to watch "average" joes makes fools of themselves 24/7. I've never liked Big Brother, Survivor holds no appeal for me. And don't get me started on those horrid Bachelor shows! Ugh.
Reality TV is here to stay I think. But let's have more of the good stuff rather than the bad.
I don't watch any of those, but I know a couple by reputation - and I'd say they aren't episodic. If the order in which you watch the episodes does not matter, then the show is episodic. ST:TOS was strongly episodic, while Babylon 5 was not very episodic. Top Model and Suvivor, for example, are shows where the point is watching development over the season - what has gone before matters to the viewer.
That isn't true for Iron Chef, in which each episode stands completely on its own. History is irrelevant.
You're correct to a certain point. They do keep track of the Iron Chefs' wins and losses, as well as streaks.
And there are also grudge rematches. Bobby Flay's appearances are notable, in that regard.
But you're absolutely correct that it is MUCH less episodic than a typical reality competition show, and is more akin to sporting events in that aspect.
Wombat
First Post
I must admit that I don't get it.
"Reality TV" is so oddly scripted (ask anyone involved to find out just how scripted it really is) -- the keeping of a "bad guy" for a long time in each show, who never becomes the winner as an obvious example.
For the most part, though, I am not much of a tv fan, and reality tv strikes me as a low even for the medium. I have seen a number of them, thanks to my sister and a couple of friends -- America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, Last Restaurant Standing, etc.
My verdict? No, thank you.
"Reality TV" is so oddly scripted (ask anyone involved to find out just how scripted it really is) -- the keeping of a "bad guy" for a long time in each show, who never becomes the winner as an obvious example.
For the most part, though, I am not much of a tv fan, and reality tv strikes me as a low even for the medium. I have seen a number of them, thanks to my sister and a couple of friends -- America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, Last Restaurant Standing, etc.
My verdict? No, thank you.
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