Too Much TV

Do I watch too much TV? Apparently not but I’m clearly not watching the TV that counts. I’m one of the few people I know who watches things like Top Chef, Top Model, FaceOff – artificial reality shows edited for drama – particularly America’s Next Top Model in which tensions in the barn, I mean the house, drive the show. Squabbles between the women competing for opportunity to be on the runway.

This new season, sans Tyra Banks, has tried to shake things up some by skewing to a younger demographic but I’m not even sure what their market is anyway? Jaded gay males over 40? I can’t see women, of any age, watching this show for any reason. Unless it’s for the train wreck potential in the idiotic photo shoots. I had to laugh when the new host claimed she was nervous to take over the show because it was one of the most important in the history of television. Clearly someone with no sense of history.

The current cycle of Project Runway Jr. is coming to an end & I really love this show. Everything happens in the work room, we get glimpses of personal life but this show is all about the garment, the talent & sometimes the ability to sew. The creativity of these teens is amazing. Though when one of them, as always happens, says ‘I’ve been dreaming of this all my life’ – & they are only 14 – I think, honey, too bad your dreams were realized so soon – I hope to can still dream a bigger dream. My one quibble with Project Runway (in all its incarnations) is the lack of men’s wear – let’s see them challenged by that.

These shows are amazing for diversity – ages, races, genders, sexualities are all represented without too much attention. I say ‘too much’ as Top Model did include a heated discussion between two black models about the difference between being a Black American and an African American. Top Chef always gives back story & family plays a big part; male chefs with males lovers get as much back story as a married female chef with husband & two children. This is diversity without calling attention to itself.

Beside these artificial reality shows I do watch some actual TV. Currently working through the Complete Buffy series, into season 2. Can’t wait for Seth Green’s character to be fully introduced. Working through AmHor Story Hotel is proving to be fun. Gaga gets great gowns & we get lots of blood spatter but not enough Angela Bassett. Fresher has been Taboo – Tom Hardy is captivating, the story is ok, the black magic is too underplayed for my liking. The look is dark, relentlessly intense & one show I’m happy for commercials. His great coat is the the star of the show.

Less fresh: I’ve been indulging in Are You Being Served? Vision has been repeating the entire series in a slightly edited form. Edited to fit the time slot, by usually clipping the scene in each episode with a customer. The innocence of the show is endearing, as well as the ‘gay’ character Mr. Humphries. Not a show one watches for emotional depth or ironic social commentary but just for fun. Without this there would never have been French & Saunders – & we are unanimous in that 🙂