Reality TV

In the cesspool that is television today, there are two shows that (in my estimation) rank supreme above all: The Amazing Race and The Apprentice.

The Amazing Race

The Amazing Race is an excellent show. Watching the racers go about around the world is thrilling. You get to see different worlds and cultures of that you normally don't see on TV. You see how racers interact with the locals and get by in alien environments with a foreign language and customs. You see the different dynamics between teams, how they interact with each other and how teams ally with one another. It’s like going about on a world adventure from the leisure of your living room. It's the quintessential reality show.

I didn’t really get into this show until this season, though I catched a bit of TAR 7 re-runs on the Outdoor Life Network (the one with Rob & Amber of Survivor- a show whose appeal I could never understand). The ever low-key Phil is an excellent host. And the logistics for this show must be incredibly difficult to handle as it cannot be easy chasing racers while holding the camera steady and navigating unfamiliar terrain. And props to the editing team as well for compressing hours of exhaustive tape into an entertaining 44-minute format.


The Apprentice

Donald Trump has a bloated ego, and his self-aggrandizement is as tacky as his hair and leaves something left to desired. But there’s a reason why he’s successful, and his oblivious pompousity is part of the appeal of this show.

It's interesting seeing how teammates relate to one another and go about their tasks. The boardroom scenes are always hearthumpers - anyone will say anything to save their hide, and it's fun to see these polished managerial types and professionals go at it. That and Trump is always unpredictable.

However, I'm not sure whether I like the direction this show is heading. There seems to be a gradual emphasis away from the task towards interpersonal dynamics - at times I'm not sure if I'm watching The Surreal Life. There's also the inevitable dilemna that Trump without a doubt faces - do you keep an incompetent but entertaining buffoon on for ratings? And if so, wouldn't that be betraying the fundamental principle of this show - finding the best man or woman for the job? You also have to wonder how much manipulation via selective editing - do Mark Burnett & Co. deliberately present candidates in a certain light?

Still, in an age of stale sitcoms and snoozer crime dramas, and at a time when a karaoke show is the number one show on television, these two programs stand far above the rest.