Wednesday, October 12, 2005

The Last "Top Five" List (at least for a while)

Ok, I don’t want to go overboard on the whole “top five” list thing, but I was recently compelled to enumerate my favorite “Reality” television shows. So, I thought I would share them with the world. Not so much the world. Let me try again…so I thought I would share them with the half-a-dozen or so that actually read this drivel.

Anyway, The Top Five Reality Shows

#5 Super Nanny – This stuff doesn’t get old. Poor parenting is the curse of my generation. We should all have her on speed-dial.

#4 Trading Spaces – There is nothing better than someone coming home and hating their room. I don’t know what’s more compelling, when the couple tries to play it off like they don’t hate it or when there’s that awkward friendship ending stare-down at the end of the show.

#3 Real World v. Road Rules – I hate the drama. I hate the typical post-teen hedonism. But, the games are cool.

#2 Rock Star – It was like American Idol with attitude. I’ve never been a fan of INXS but it was fun watching the contestants play some songs I really love. Of course they chose the wrong guy. I think the second place guy could make an album with the house band and exceed a rapidly aging second-rate 80’s band.

#1 Breaking Bonaduce – No doubt about this one. There is nothing like seeing an alcoholic, steroid using, psychopath destroy his career and his family all in the name of entertainment. It’s like baseball season without the trouble of playing 162 games. I loved the Partridge Family. Who didn’t? I’m not saying I don’t feel for the guy, and most of the time it’s not easy to watch. I guess in the end I’m rooting for him to pull it together, but I’m not very confident.

1 comment:

RobWill said...

My five favorite reality shows. Most are older, as I really got tired of the genre as it got big, although two more recent ones are representin' here.

5. Fear Factor - I don't know, there is something about a 20 something girl eating a buffalo testicle that makes for good TV.

4. The Biggest Loser - I really got into this show, being a person in need of a bit of weight loss myself. Heck they inspire me for the time period of each show. I mean, I could slim down like that, if I was sequestered for 13 weeks with a huge amount of cash on the line, personal chefs and trainers with attitudes this side of Dirty Harry.

3. The 1st Real World - I was about 22, the age of most of the people. I can name the cast still: Julie, Eric, Heather B, Kevin, Andre, Becky, and the gay guy whose name escapes me (internet search reveals the name Norman, sheesh, I knew that). I think I watched to see what kind of life I was missing out on,or something, but i connected with that one the most. Number 2 was OK and 3 I left behind. On a side note, I actually met the cowboy John from RW2 at Kings Island standing in line for the Vortex. That was for you George. One of those surreal, that was pretty cool even though he is a nobody moments.

2. Behind the Music - Who doesn't want to hear about the Milli Vanilli guys after the drama? Great show, great facts, I loved it. However, the journey episode changed my opinion of Steve Perry forever, what a jerk.

1. Bands on the Run - VH1's reality show about 4 garage bands competing in challenges of playing local clubs, selling merchandise, etc. They had online voting for songs, album covers, etc. There were even two Battle of the Bands that caused some eliminations. I fell hook, line and sinker. My favorite band won, Flickerstick. I still listen to them. They weren't the best musicians, they didn't sell as much stuff, they weren't as organized. The band that was left to compete against them (4 to start with) was Soulcracker...they were better at their craft, as far as technical skills go. Flickerstick was, as Cory puts it "prehistoric emo". They had that rage, that pure emotion that just could not be beaten. One episode had each band challenged to write a country song in Nashville and play it in front of the audience. Flickerstick simply chose not to, rather than look stupid, they forfeited the points. Soulcracker wrote a really kickin tune...I really liked it and they wrote it in two days. In the end, Soulcracker was ahead on money, but the winner would be decided by the last Battle, and Flickerstick killed. Still my favorite reality show of all time.