Reality Bites

Brigette Moland

 

I flipped on the T.V. and an image of a girl eating worms appeared.  Eating my dinner at the time and being disgusted by the sight, I began surfing the channels to see if I could find something a little more appealing to watch. 

 

As I flipped through the channels, I saw clips from the Real World, Trading Spaces and countless other shows of people picking people to date on T.V., as well as plastic surgery makeovers.  All I wanted was a good lighthearted show to watch while finishing dinner. 

 

I finally decided on Fear Factor. I couldn't believe I was watching it, but I couldn't find anything else to watch on a Monday night.  During the commercial, ads showing clips for the countdown till the end of Friends appeared to me.  Now normally I wouldn't think anything of this until I realized the other shows that are going off the air this season.  I knew of three going off-air for sure and another one contemplating the idea.  Two of the shows have been T.V. “must-sees” for the past few years.  I can’t believe it but not only was Friends ending their show, but Frasier, Sex and the City, and possibly a few more.

 

The last of the good quality sitcoms were going to stop airing as of the spring season.  Maybe it is time they retire from their show and let other new shows take their place.  However, what kinds of shows will take their place?

 

Lately reality T.V. has taken over.  Reality shows are based on fear, dating, image, house remodeling and even marriages are taking over the television screen as we know it.  No longer will shows like Friends or Frasier be on to relax and humor us, but people will now be trying to find which form of reality they will want to watch next instead of snuggling on the couch to watch some of the fictional T.V characters being heroic or funny. 

 

I cannot believe this but the sitcoms are slowly disappearing and reality is taking its place.  What happened to the days, when flipping on the T.V. to watch the infamous Tanner family, see the dramatic life situations of General Hospital, or watch the ongoing saga of Ross and Rachel’s relationship was so easy and carefree?  Since when was everyone obsessed with the reality of situations and stop caring about entertaining sitcoms?

 

This is a disgrace to television, no longer will I look forward to the fictional settings and scene and even television actors, but I will be faced with the reality of everyday people broadcasting a part of their lives over the television. I think I’d rather eat the worms than be forced to have nothing else to watch but reality T.V.

 

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