Amazing Race, Survivor, Dancing with the Stars or whatever competitional flavor of the month reality TV shows don't do much for me.
But I must confess I've become addicted to the "other" kind of reality show, the kind that films people doing slightly out there professions, or intervene some how with ordinary people.
Top of my list: American Chopper Dog the Bounty Hunter Shalom in the Home Queer Eye for the Straight Guy What Not to Wear Cash in the Attic (BBC version preferred)
Mid range: Driving Force Gene Simmons' Family Jewels Honey You're Killing Your Kids (dietary interventions) Supernanny
Anyone else??
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Deadliest Catch - the show on Alaskan crab fishermen. My husband and I love it. No one else in our family does, so we wind up watching it alone, but still.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
I like a lot of the Home & Garden reality TV shows - the ones where an expert is giving some sort of advice on how to design a room, redo some furniture, or find a new home/apartment.
I never just watch these shows, but I like to have them on in the background when I'd doing other stuff.
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Deadliest Catch is great.
I only saw a few episodes of these, but I also enjoyed I Shouldn't Be Alive and Survivor Man...I'm not sure if those quite count as reality shows, though. The first, at least, is mainly reenactments.
And for some reason, even though it's not especially educational or substantial, I'm quite entertained by Dirty Jobs. Same with Myth Busters, although I'd place that on a slightly higher level than Dirty Jobs.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
I had a lot of fun watching Pioneer House (I think that that was what it was called) on PBS two or three years ago. I've never caught any of their other "house" reality shows, or if I have they didn't make enough of an impression for me to watch more than part of an episode.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Was the Pioneer house one in Australia?
AJ
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
I don't care about any of these reality shows... at least until Danger Island starts airing. That should be amusing!
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
I'm thinking of the one that was set in the American West--Montana or somewhere like that. Maybe it was called Frontier House? That sounds more right to my ear than Pioneer House.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
That isn't real is it?
Dirty Jobs is a great show! I can't believe that isn't higher on the list. I find it very educational and very funny. I especially like how sarcastic the host is; he gets kinda bitter when they make him do some of the more discusting or physically hard jobs. I would put Dirty Jobs above Myth Busters any day.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
The asphalt paver one where he was wearing these wierd slippers and essentially working on top of hot asphalt barefoot was a hoot.
Oh wait, wasn't "Dirty Jobs" that was the "Worst Jobs in History" ... also good.
quote:I don't care about any of these reality shows... at least until Danger Island starts airing. That should be amusing!
Two questions:
1. Is this for real?
2. If so, will Ice T be in it?
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Frontier House was in Montana. I liked The 1900 House, personally. That was the one in England where they had to live like it was 1900.
I also watch HGTV and I like Throwdown With Bobby Flay, Food Network Competition, and Iron Chef America on Food Network, too, although I'm not sure if those really count; they're food competition shows.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Oh. Also, I'll admit, sometimes I enjoy Trading Spouses. It makes me feel better about the functionality of my family.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Ooooooh! Why have I not seen this before???
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
quote:Dirty Jobs is a great show! I can't believe that isn't higher on the list. I find it very educational and very funny. I especially like how sarcastic the host is; he gets kinda bitter when they make him do some of the more discusting or physically hard jobs. I would put Dirty Jobs above Myth Busters any day.
I should probably clarify that. I enjoy Dirty Jobs much more than Myth Busters, but it seems to me a lot of the time like the show is more about being entertained by Mike Rowe being miserable, and the jobs themselves seems *slightly* more peripheral to that, especially since they seem to race through each job. Maybe that's just been the episodes I've seen, though - for some reason it seems like the same ones are always on whenever I think to look for it.
Myth Busters I was placing slightly higher on an educational level mostly because of the building-things and figuring-out-how-to-do-things aspects, but I suppose the vast majority of what they do are bizarre and completely useless. Hmm. Now that I really think about it, I think I'm basically just more impressed by the special-effects backgrounds of the people on Myth Busters. It must be my theatre geek bias* - I love "backstage" insights and learning how effects happen.
* Upon reading Mike Rowe's bio just now, I've learned that he has a background as a stage actor. I wouldn't have guessed that - it doesn't really come across from watching the show.
Posted by IanO (Member # 186) on :
In addition to Myth Busters and Dirty Jobs, I have to add Miami Ink. I have no desire to get a tatoo, but I find it fascinating to hear the stories as to why others do. Has made a whole segment of society that much more understandable.
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
Myth Busters is great. I also find the tattoo shows fun and entertaining.
I really miss Battle Bots and Junkyard Wars. I love building things, watching other people building things. The creativity and problem solving that went on in those shows was awesome. I want to build a robot dinosaur out of things found in a junk yard. It's like Odyssey of the Mind for adults.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
There's also a WWII house (in England), where they have to live with rationing and what not.
I like many of these shows too.
Posted by ssasse (Member # 9516) on :
Before we left the US, I enjoyed Project Runway and Top Chef (Bravo shows) as well.
Posted by James Tiberius Kirk (Member # 2832) on :
Anytime I look at TLC these days, I find myself wishing Junkyard Wars was back on the air...
--j_k
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Every now and then I'll watch Miami Ink, it's a little too soap-opera for my personal taste at times.
The original British Junkyard wars was the best, the US one was pretty good for a while, but they kept trying to one up themselves, and making these super elimination rounds when they should have just kept to its origninal more simple premise. I didn't watch much of the last season when it was on the way out... it just wasn't as good.
I never got into Monster Garage or any of the other car/motorized whatever rebuild shows like I have with American Chopper. I think it's because Chopper has the most ornery personalities on it, that makes for the most amusing interplay even if some of it becomes predictable.
Some shows he gets more drunk than others, but it's always a cultural experience.
AJ
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Have you seen Alton Brown's new show Feasting on Asphalt? I'm enjoying it. Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
quote:Originally posted by Juxtapose:
quote:I don't care about any of these reality shows... at least until Danger Island starts airing. That should be amusing!
Two questions:
1. Is this for real?
2. If so, will Ice T be in it?
They're trying to make it real. Look at the News Bulletins: Lou Ferrigno has signed on to be a manhunter.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I love Mike Rowe. I agree Dirty Jobs is more about him, but that's okay, because he's highly entertaining. I love the outtakes where he jokes with his crew. He's not afraid to show his crew and talk about them, he admits that they have a harder time than he does because they have to go into all the disgusting places first and set up cameras.
My husband is an ultra-fan of Deadliest Catch. He's in withdrawal now the season is over. We love Sig Hansen, the captain of the Northwestern. I would vote for Sig for president, but he'd never run - it would be a cut in pay. Plus, I think Sig is Norwegian. But still, I love his management style, he reminds me of my husband and that's why Wes likes him too - he runs his boat like a true business, he's smart and savvy and I happen to think not bad looking either.
Project Runway is my new guilty pleasure. I don't care much about the personalities and hate it when they waste time with the contestants at the house. I want to hear them talk about fabrics and design. If I ever make it to New York on vacation, I want to go to Mood Designer Fabrics. I covet many of the fabrics seen on that show.
Posted by narrativium (Member # 3230) on :
Mythbusters is currently one of the best shows on TV.
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
Mythbusters is amazing- and I rather enjoy the fact that they study random crap. It only makes it better.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
I stayed up late last night to watch the Dog the Bounty Hunter wedding that I missed last week the first time around. I felt guilty while doing it, but couldn't turn it off.
AJ
Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
Just getting into Dirty Jobs and Miami Ink, Both seem pretty good. I agree it is fascinating to see why people want to get tattoo’s. It almost makes me want to get one until I remember that it will still be there in 10, 15, 40 years later and it won't look nearly as good.
Love feasting on asphalt. Did anyone see Alton Brown eating the brain sandwich? He did his best to keep a neutral face, but you could tell he was about to loose it.
I like the new Bobby Flay Throw Down show also. It’s good to see the food network getting in touch with more everyday people and their food.
It make me feel less manly, but for some reason I get sucked into What not to wear, and find myself criticing the outfits and hair cuts.
Lost interest in American Chopper and Mythbusters.
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I wouldn't have guessed that - it doesn't really come across from watching the show.
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