Categories: uncategorized
Date: 27 July 2011 14:33:07
I kind of got fed up with reality tv shows a while ago. They became ridiculous and extreme. Whilst I did recently discover the wonders of Made in Chelsea on i-player it was obviously staged and as fake as many of the tans on display. It is a joy then to have discovered two rather different reality shows recently, ones which have been produced with a rare sensitivity.
Last night BBC 3's Geordie Finishing School for Girls took 4 rahs and put them into the reality of Newcastle estate life. What impressed me watching it with TOH was the way that the programme handled the clash of cultures. The project was being overseen by a community worker who is well known (and incidently once interviewed me for a job I didn't get).
During this first episode the upper class young people had their clothes changed and jewellary removed for their own safety. They also made food out of cheap ingredients and and helped an addict who was in the procees of getting clean decorate their flat. Their reactions were interesting, the one who was trying to come across as using it as an educational experiencecame out as a right twit. She commented on the way that the "poor" had "modern appliances" in their houses and such like. Not sure if she thought they should still be struggling with mangles or what.
In terms of the working class girls the ones chosen were a youth leader who self-confessed herself to be a former tearaway, an unemployed single mum, a woman who lived with her parents and married to a lad who was away on a tour of duty and another one whose details escape me. There were some comments which were illuminating such as, "I wonder how much they want for rent on this one, I wouldn't mind living here when they've finished using it for this", (referring to where the rich kids were staying). As I say a refreshing life swap type reality programme.
The other reality programme which has impressed me has been Channel Five's the Candy Bar Girls. This was one I did not hold much hope for to start with but I've been really enjoying it on i-player. It has reflected both the diversity of lesbians and the way that many are in committed relationships, aswell as the way some are promiscuous. Although of course as all the people shown are staff or customers of a gay bar in Soho there is going to be some homogenity . Also some scenes were very clearly staged but there was sensitivity going on and a depth beyond the festish party and ghost hunting scenes. One example of the way of this sensitivity worked was when a couple went home for a dinner with the parents. The parents were shown to be people who were caring and very accepting. Then there was a shot of them saying grace before the meal. The message was clear but it was not dwelt upon, these parents were committed Christians and they loved their lesbian daughter and her partner. Another related to a DJ going shopping for clothes appropriate for becoming a teacher.
I am not sure what has turned the tide, but hopefully this is the future of what reality tv and docusoaps look like.