Alternate Reality?

Some years ago, reality TV was unheard of... The docu-soap was perhaps all the rage but this was a compilation of 'best bits' rather than the full on, gritty serialisation of every waking move made by the fanciful folk who put themselves forward for public scrutiny we see today.

The first (that I recal) 'reality' show was Channel 4's Shipwrecked. A bunch of youthfull guys & gals living together on a desert island, forraging for food, building shelters and generally struggling to survive. This held some interest in social workings and group dynamics...

Then along came Castaway! BBC's brand spanking new concept - stuff a load of willing (or unwilling as it turned out for a while) folk onto a Scottish island for a year with the very basics and let them struggle to survive in the harshest of condtions. Yes, they sent a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker (well, a doctor & teacher amongst others) with skills varied enough to make a go of things and enthusiasm enough from others (Ben Fogle) to generate a living. But it was still all so fascinating and new...

Shipwrecked & Castaway are both running new series currently... And oh how it all changes!

Those shipwrecked seem to have hardly been washed up from a sea-faring wreck, more from an Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue! The lithe young bodies are filmed either sexily dripping with sea-water or glistening with suncream! The idea now, not one of survival but simply building a 'tribe' to win the money at the end of the game... More about tactics that social inclusion and with many folk knowing the game so well that the truth of human nature can be hidden... Or is that just in the filming?

The latest Castaways have also seriously disapointed! With a fond remembrance of the original series, we expected far more from the BBC than the Big Brother-esque production they're placing before us... New arrivals every few days. Voting people into seclusion. Public votes on whether the castaways receive fish nets or fish net stockings... It makes a farce of the original concept of survival and community.

It seems a shame that some great concepts in human behaviour studies have become so convoluted and warped so quickly, as has Big Brother and other reality offspring but perhaps I'm being naive in thinking that this isn't what the viewing public really want? Perhaps the enforced drama, controlled interactions and almost scripted adventures make for better vieing than general human behaviour nowadays? But then, isn't that what soap operas are for? Jxx