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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I can only imagine how many hours of reality TV that Nussbaum had to watch to be able to write a book as riveting as this one. If you're a fan of reality TV, then read this. If you hate reality TV, you can at least acknowledge the impact it has had on American culture (and yes, politics). But to understand the reality of reality TV, Nussbaum takes us back to where it all began.
From the early prank days of Candid Camera to the unhinged and jerky camera movements of The Real World, there's a lot of history there. Survivor marked a delineation in how unscripted tv could be told with its isolated location and unique challenges. Campy reality TV on RuPaul's Drag Race continues to make history, and all of that is just the tip of the iceberg. And through it all, there has of course been a lot of behind the scenes drama that you may or may not know about.
As entertaining as this book was in terms of the specific history of some of these shows, there seemed to be a lack of focus on a central thesis. Yes, Reality TV has evolved and changed American viewing habits, but I would have liked to read about he broader impact on culture. The only place where Nussbaum actually talks about its impact is on the last chapter covering The Apprentice and the rise of that show's host. It would have been nice to end the book on a different figure altogether, but perhaps that's the point. Reality TV has created changes, but perhaps has caused a lot of damage as well. I hope that there's a need for an additional chapter in the future where a reality TV star has gone on to help promote world peace, but that might be a long time from now.
Great information on some really great shows, but any connection beyond these mini-histories is lacking.
From the early prank days of Candid Camera to the unhinged and jerky camera movements of The Real World, there's a lot of history there. Survivor marked a delineation in how unscripted tv could be told with its isolated location and unique challenges. Campy reality TV on RuPaul's Drag Race continues to make history, and all of that is just the tip of the iceberg. And through it all, there has of course been a lot of behind the scenes drama that you may or may not know about.
As entertaining as this book was in terms of the specific history of some of these shows, there seemed to be a lack of focus on a central thesis. Yes, Reality TV has evolved and changed American viewing habits, but I would have liked to read about he broader impact on culture. The only place where Nussbaum actually talks about its impact is on the last chapter covering The Apprentice and the rise of that show's host. It would have been nice to end the book on a different figure altogether, but perhaps that's the point. Reality TV has created changes, but perhaps has caused a lot of damage as well. I hope that there's a need for an additional chapter in the future where a reality TV star has gone on to help promote world peace, but that might be a long time from now.
Great information on some really great shows, but any connection beyond these mini-histories is lacking.
medium-paced
No complaints. Fun way to learn about how we got to reality tv the way it is today. It’s really well researched and engaging. My kinda nonfiction!!
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
funny
informative
medium-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced