Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: We invented everything

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  • Daveosaurus,

    My sole substantial experience of "reality" TV was an hour-long summary of one of those "Survivor" type shows. The thing about it that I noticed the most was that the anthropology backing up its premise was a load of bollocks. Not that I actually know all that much about anthropology myself, but as the plot-line of the show (such as it was) fairly much faithfully followed the plot-line of an older serial in which it was a major plot point that the anthropology was a load of bollocks, that was a bit of a dead giveaway.

    Somewhere out there • Since Apr 2010 • 7 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Stewart,

    Damnit - I was getting further and further through the comments, hoping that I would finally have a chance outside of academia and pub quizzes to show off my relatively useless skill set of knowing the difference between Flatmates and kiwiflatmates.com - and Joanna beat me to it!

    There is quite a lot of reality tv hate going on here. Whilst I completely get that not everyone is going to like it, and that's just fine with me, the total dismissing of it as a genre bothers me just a little. I personally feel that there is a lot to be gleaned from reality tv, as significant academic study has highlighted. But I freely admit, I'm showing off my biases here.

    I have to admit, I find unscripted television a much more appropriate handle, as anything which is mediated, whether it be Big Brother, 3 News or a film fest documentary, sacrifices a level of reality.

    Auckland • Since Apr 2010 • 3 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I always sense from the brief glimpses that the audience is/has just enjoyed a meal and drink in the studio

    There you go - let those lovely producers known their hospitality does make a difference onscreen.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    hoping that I would finally have a chance outside of academia and pub quizzes to show off my relatively useless skill set of knowing the difference between Flatmates and kiwiflatmates.com - and Joanna beat me to it!

    All is not lost. I get the impression that delivering a copy of said Jaquie Brown footage would give you back the lead..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    Now, I'm pretty sure that most people know I love reality TV. I remember all the Flatmates etc thingies, but tell me? Which was the one where they were all locked in the house and they couldn' t get out, and they had to play game for privileges? That one was surely pre BB?

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver,

    @Jackie - was that the one where they had to survive using only the internet to communicate with the outside world?

    They were locked in the house and were supposed to earn/raise money (presumably so they could buy food etc) via the interwebs. They were all deeply crap at this, had no ideas or thoughts on how they could achieve this and were all supremely unmotivated anyway.

    Eventually someone came up with the lame idea of baking muffins and trying to sell them (via emails to their friends, I seem to recall). This ended up being the sum total of their online achievements. It really was a tragic little show - and in terms of the concept, at least 2 years ahead of its time.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Just think of the bigger cakes they could have hawked if only we'd had decent broadband

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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