Althouse: Best reality shows of the decade.

December 30, 2009

Best reality shows of the decade.

From Throwing Things.

17 comments:

Larry J said...: I can happily say that I didn't watch any of those shows.; 12/30/09, 9:44 AM
vbspurs said...: I was going to post that, Larry, when I saw Ann's post but I said, nah -- that's not a nice way to begin a thread.

Now I wonder how many of her commenters watched reality shows, since I know she used to blog about Project Runway.

P.S.: I do like Tim Gunn, though.; 12/30/09, 9:47 AM
AllenS said...: Ditto what Larry J said.; 12/30/09, 9:58 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: Joe Schmo was great.; 12/30/09, 9:59 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: I watched some of RockStar: SuperNova because my girlfriend, Storm, was on it - but that was just to see if she'd win and, also, how badly she could mangle a song and still get applause.

It did not dissappoint.

wv: "panties" - something that could help you win on almost any reality show if revealed.; 12/30/09, 10:00 AM
Cedarford said...: Survivor season 1 we watched and really enjoyed. Then parts of other show cycles. Same with Idol. 1st year was very good. Deadliest Catch, same pattern with us. One show we kept watching (wife more than me) was Top Chef. 1st season was good, 2nd was so bad we had to see if it improved in S3, which it did. Like so many reality shows, it is formulaic and a rut after a few years (Deadliest Catch) - but the chefs kept getting more interesting and more talented.

I also like the reality shows that are done as stand-alone episodes like "No Reservations", "Dirtiest jobs", "Myth Busters".; 12/30/09, 10:01 AM
kjbe said...: Eh, sampled a few but, didn't watch many, myself, so I can't add much to the convo. Kinda with you, Larry.; 12/30/09, 10:04 AM
Anonymous said...: Loved Joe Schmo but it was more of an elaborate gag than a reality show.; 12/30/09, 10:07 AM
traditionalguy said...: The personalities are interesting on these shows. But calling the staged fake situations a reality show does not help. Unless all shows are only the best pretenders in life like AI are the best singers.Shakespeare like that idea that all the world is only a stage. To me it is also a leveling down innoculating us from looking for real people's heroic examples in Real Life, such as the pilot Suhlenburger who landed his flight in the Hudson, and the Rangers fighting daily in Afghanistan.The survivor shows seem at their best to be basic training for infighting bureaucrats.; 12/30/09, 10:12 AM
Ann Althouse said...: The write-up at the link is particularly good, whether you watch the shows or not.; 12/30/09, 10:13 AM
Larry J said...: Whether it counts in the reality or "dangerous jobs" gendre, I do admit to watching "The Deadliest Catch." I spent all of 1990 on a tiny island (Shemya) at the end of the Aleutian chain. The weather out there has to be experienced to be believed. That men would go out on these small boats in that weather fascinates me. I've never looked at a crab the same since watching that show.; 12/30/09, 10:21 AM
Phil 314 said...: Is this kinda like rating best root canals of the decade?; 12/30/09, 10:32 AM
Fred4Pres said...: Is Richard Hatch still in prison on tax evasion?; 12/30/09, 11:14 AM
michaele said...: I confess to watching a fair number of reality shows. Since I sit with my laptop and mostly read blogs and news, "reality" is the easiest genre to be inattentive to. I really liked the Survivor season when the amazing good guy Tom the fireman won. It was a nice change although it would not be good for the show if every season had that storyline and outcome.; 12/30/09, 11:19 AM
Jim Gust said...: They left out the only reality show I watched regularly--Ax men, I think is the name. About which logging crew can fell and haul the most timber in a season.; 12/30/09, 11:19 AM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: The Crack Emcee said...

wv: "panties" - something that could help you win on almost any reality show if revealed.

I think actually wearing panties would get you disqualified from many reality shows. Unless you are a guy.; 12/30/09, 11:37 AM
chuck b. said...: Are you going to do any year-in-review, "best of '09", posts of your own, AA?; 12/30/09, 12:05 PM