Reality TV

I really can't decide if this is a good idea or not. A Reality TV show (called The Match) built around a celebrity football team? It sounds a bit dire. As much as I love the Reality TV genre and especially celebrity ones, I think this is scraping the barrel for me.

A key Reality TV audience is often female, they are the normal voters, so the producers will have to do some work to get the guys watching and voting.

Reality TV receives a lot of criticism for 'dumbing down' TV programming, but why it is cheap producers will still make it. Big Brother, five series ago, was original, now it is fun, but mindless viewing. After a day at work, being tired, and possibly stressed, most people don't always want to watch high brow political programmes or documentaries, they want to be entertained. If a TV programme is entertaining then it has succeeded in its brief.

One show not faring too well at the moment is ITV's Reality/Home Makeover Show The Block. The idea is that four couples have to make over a Brighton Townhouse room by room, from scratch. Each week a new room in revealed, and the best room (judges by Simon Cowell's property boffin brother, Nick) wins £3000 towards that couple's budget. Contestants also win any profit, (above Nick Cowell's valuation) when the property is sold at auction. The couple that make the most, also win a £50,000 cash prize. When I first saw it (Episode 2) I thought it was dire. I have since found myself getting sucked into Episodes 3 and 4. It is not the makeover aspect that is so interesting (you won't get any tips in this show), although some of the rooms they do are very good. What is compulsive is the bitching and paranoia of the contestants as to who has the best room, who is working the hardest/spent the most/pulling a fast one etc etc. However, having got the poorest ratings in its Tuesday 9pm slot across the five terrestial channels, ITV have moved it to 11pm. This is a shame as I believe there are supposed to be twelve episodes. I guess the Home Makeover genre is struggling. Bring back the House Doctor.