I’ve always been curious about how many people out there really watch reality TV. For me, it depends on what you consider reality TV.... do all the sports games I watch count? How about the news? It’s all reality, but its not like the popular shows American Idol or Survivor. If sports do count then 95% of what I watch it reality TV!
What made me really think about this is the one true ‘reality show’ I do watch every Friday night, Whale Wars on Animal Planet. I personally believe this is one of the best reality TV shows out there. The stars of the show are not trying to win money or gain a contract, they don’t even get paid. They are all volunteers on a ship to help stop Japanese whaling in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary. This show just started last year and is only in the second season of filming. I think it makes for good TV, not to mention good publicity to the groups helping the whales.
Some people don’t realize that the Japanese whaling fleet plans to kill 935 Minke whales, they also plan on killing 50 Fin (endangered) whales a year. The whaling fleets say they are killing the whales for research but in the end each whale is worth anywhere from $250,000 to $1 million.
Besides my sports, to me this show is “really” reality TV. It actually makes you feel emotion. American Idol on the other hand, may be entertaining to some but the passion from everyone on the show is not there every night (yes when they get voted off they are upset, but if they are in the top 3 or 4 they are pretty much guaranteed a contract). The crew members of The Sea Shepherd don’t spend 2-3 months on a ship to get a contract when they get home, they turn around and keep volunteering more time.
Do you have a reality show you’re addicted to? How much “reality TV” do you watch every week? If you count sports, it’s around 7-8 hours a week, plus my one hour of Whale Wars and that’s it...for now.
I’ll be setting my Tivo soon to catch Chadwicks on TV! Don’t forget you can check it out too. We’ll be on The Balancing Act airing weekdays 7am-ET/PT, 6am CT, MTN-check local listings on Lifetime....while it may not be as intense as Whale Wars, it’s bound to be fun, enjoy!
'Whale Wars' isn't just compelling television, it's hands down the most important program on TV, nothing else is this dramatic, or ecologically important for people to be watching right now. All the fake celebrity shows and programs that are just hour long commercials for Home Depot have been distracting people from the fact our planet is dying for too long. Save the whales and you save the oceans, save the oceans and you save mankind. Make the struggle into a hit TV show and you please everyone.
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