Couple of interesting stories about GSN

[BrandonFG]

Jonathan, I understand where you're coming from, but that doesn't make the show right.

Yes, the mentalities Chris described still exist in 2007...but does that make it right, esp. in this supposedly more diverse society, where everyone talks about being "equal"? The premise of the show, from what I've read, the show offers a $25,000 grand prize to one person (out of what, five?), and the panelists debate based on each contestant's characteristics, why they do or don't deserve the $25-large.

I do have a major problem with the scenario Chris described. Yeah, GSN was going for water-cooler discussion, but to try to center a game show around it, you're waiting for crap to hit the fan. I have no problem with the premise, as a talk show, but to have folks competing for cash and then some elitist get on their high horse and deny someone the money because they don't like up to your standards strikes a nerve with me.

GSN needs to stick to the light-hearted stuff like Lingo and Whammy!

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'johnnyd1788\' post=\'159172\' date=\'Jul 31 2007, 12:29 AM\']
It seems like those of you who dislike the show are afraid of knowing the truth of this country and our society.
[/quote]
No, chief, let me tell you, I'm WELL aware.

I think the reason why GSN decided to air this show was for a good reason.

To make money? Financially, sure, a good reason, but if you really think there is something altruistic in GSN putting this on the air, you're more naive than I thought. And that's saying something.

They are showing this (rathar extreme) side of people to show them that are truly ARE people like this out there, and is giving people the opportunities to evaluate their opinions.

What a load of CRAP.

They're not trying to "raise awareness" of anything. They are trying to get people to watch the show, no more, no less. They are using these people to get ratings, by either exploiting the shock value of what assholes they are, or getting some slack-jawed moron to say "hey, here's a show where they make fun of people who are different from me, this is GREAT!"

Trust me, they're not opening any eyes here, they're opening wallets.

[tvwxman]

[quote name=\'johnnyd1788\' post=\'159172\' date=\'Jul 31 2007, 03:29 AM\']
At least some network on TV is trying to help save our social world from collapsing tomorrow.
[/quote]
This may be, hands down,  the dumbest statement I've read on this forum in some time, and that includes crap spewed from Witch, Karlberg, and Henke.

[Robert Hutchinson]

I heard a 60-second ad for this show on the radio today.

Ugh.

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'johnnyd1788\' post=\'159172\' date=\'Jul 31 2007, 12:29 AM\']It seems like those of you who dislike the show are afraid of knowing the truth of this country and our society.[/quote] If there was any indication that you were capable of having a rational discussion about things, I'd be willing to indulge you. Having not seen that, I'll carry on with the other members. If you do want to debate, I'll happily pull apart each and every one of your points.

My worry is not about holding up a mirror to the country. I listen to the AM radio for seven hours of the day. (I would make it eight, but Ron Reagan has zero personality, so I skip his hour) I don't need to be told about what asshats some people can be. There's no reason to belabor the point about how destructive the show is. My problem is more that this sort of behavior is going to be reinforced, and Joe No-Teeth in Yeehaw, Alabama is going to see this and think that his prejudices are OK. That's the danger: not "learning the truth about society."

And one other thing: it's clear that the show is stacked in such a way that the pairings are stacked. How interesting would it be to have five WASPy guys determining which of five other WASPy guys was going to win? Not very. The conflict is inherent and manufactured.

[rebelwrest]

When I was reading the review for Without Prejudice, one of the articles stated that the show had "typical reality show casting".  I will admit that tonight's show is a little better than last week's, but it seems like they have to include one bigoted person on each panel because the producers think that makes great television.  

I wonder what the casting for the panel was like for the British series?

[CaseyAbell]

Frankly, after what I heard about the show, I was expecting Springerish screaming and fistfights. Instead, things seemed pretty calm and lukewarm and downright meandering when I watched. Maybe I missed the best bits, I don't know. This NYT review seems dead-on to me, especially the "rambling all-night conversations about race and sex" comment. Ramble on, little doggies, ramble on.

[spokesmodelintraining]

I agree that it's a departure from GSN's usual stuff, but it's an interesting show with a sense of direction and purpose.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'spokesmodelintraining\' post=\'159413\' date=\'Aug 2 2007, 12:47 PM\']
but it's an interesting show with a sense of direction and purpose.
[/quote]
If you enjoy seeing the very worst aspects of humanity, sure.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'spokesmodelintraining\' post=\'159413\' date=\'Aug 2 2007, 03:47 PM\']
I agree that it's a departure from GSN's usual stuff, but it's an interesting show with a sense of direction and purpose.[/quote]
I'm not sure about the "purpose" being anything more than to attract an audience, but otherwise I agree with you.  It may turn some people off (heck, it turns me off), but it's good for the network in that it gets people talking ("Have you seen that show...?") and is highly promotable.  It's probably strong in the young-folks demographics as well.  Compared to the expensive boondoggles of the past (could we PLEASE have another season of American Dream Derby?), this is a low-risk, high-profile effort for them.

[Sodboy13]

My girlfriend and I TiVoed the 90-minute premiere, and were both very interested in seeing it.  By the 60-minute mark, we were talking to each other more than we were paying attention to the screen, and toward the end, she summed the experience up well with "You know, this is actually pretty boring."  (The show, not me.  Er, I hope.)   I won't be watching again; not because I took offense at any sensationalistic stereotyping, but because I just found the whole experience rather dull.

I can sum this show up best as people I don't care about talking about other people I don't care about who are all giving me no reason whatsoever to care about them.

If it helps GSN's bottom line and keeps the network chugging, hey, great.  But I'd rather watched deeply-flawed shells of games like Chain Reaction and Camouflage, which at least give me a play-along factor as an incentive to watch.

[CaseyAbell]

Very much agreed that the show is often dull and uninvolving. It's nice that GSN got a decent number for the premiere, but I don't see this lasting unless they all-out Springerize it. Which I don't think they'll do. GSN is just too p.c. for that. The network has even gone hat-in-hand to various interest groups to make sure they're not offended.

Not to mention that the traditional game show audience will probably like this show as much as a root canal.