I was also thinking a lot through the show about the financial benefits of it, and how much less the show must cost despite every week taking place in a different location around the world, often with access to amazing experiences, like being on stage with Moulin Rouge. The fact that the production can spend more on those excursions because they don't have to pay talent nearly as much (though the host still receives supposedly upwards of $25,000 per episode) is interesting to me — especially with how it pairs with attempts to change the demographics of what is produced for film and television.
Monday, March 5, 2018
A non-core post
Watching TV with other people is one of my favorite things — so this week I did exactly the opposite. I watched The Bachelor by myself, in stark contrast to watching it with a bunch of friends the week before. Watching with others, it felt like the show was an object to be played with, where everything could be played with and mocked and discussed. Watching it without a bunch of people, on the other hand, made the experience somewhat sad because even if I was thinking similar things, it still felt far more like I was a receiver of content rather than co-creating meaning with friends.
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I watched The Bachelor as well and totally agree with the necessary viewing environment you mention here. It was interesting to catch the finale, which promised an event like any other, which as Bachelor viewers, we have heard every season. But they did attempt to do something differently tonight, which was air "unedited" footage, an apparent first for reality television. It was an interesting technique that Chris Harrison claimed blew up social media. Essentially, the crux of the drama was a regurgitation of Mesnick's season when he goes back on his choice.
ReplyDeleteI think watching a show like The Bachelor with a group of friends also helps mediating the gist of the show and our own perception of it. It puts it at arm's length, so we don't feel too silly observing the alleged romance unfold. Watching alone heightens the absurdity of the enterprise, and that brings awareness of whether or not you buy into the whole concept.
I have never seen an episode of "The Bachelor" however I totally agree that I think certain types of shows (especially reality television) does have a different feel to them when you are watching them in a group verses alone. I know this is especially the case when it comes to "RuPaul's Drag Race" because gay bars constantly show it on the nights that the episodes air which is very interesting to see how various members of the community respond to certain behavior, challenges, etc.
ReplyDeleteOne example that Krystle mentions about how watching reality TV with others helps to mediate the program to where we can disassociate on a way absolutely happens to me when I watch any version of "The Real Housewives" with my boyfriend. He absolutely LOVES!! all of the reality TV programming on Bravo and I always watch these shows with him whenever I'm over at his house. I kinda realize I utilize him to in a way keep the programs at arms length because I think it's hilarious by the fact that we sit together watching shows that I would never EVER watch except because I'm with him and he lives and breathes this kind of content! Also one of the housewives on a current season was one his clients who he still hears from sporadically from time to time, which is another kind of interesting layer to add to the viewing of the show because he's personally worked with a reality TV star.