Reality TV

When reality TV first became a thing I rolled my eyes and swore I’d never watch. (Yes, I’m old enough to remember when so-called “reality” TV didn’t exist.) I was wrong. True, I didn’t watch reality TV for several years. I have zero interest in shows like The Real World, Big Brother, The Real Housewives of Whatever, etc., etc., etc. However, over the years, reality TV evolved to become more than its beginnings.

Pop Art Woman Watching a Horror Movie at Home. Terrified Girl Wa

Image courtesy of www.depositphotos.com

Over time I discovered that I am a big fan of reality TV shows that fall into two main categories. This first category is: shows that feature a creative process combined with competition. By a “creative process” I mean pretty much any creative process. I was a huge fan of Face Off on the SyFy network. Face Off featured special effects makeup artists in a variety of challenges with one contestant being eliminated each week. I found it fascinating to watch each artist take the challenge from concept to completion. As far as I’m concerned, special effects makeup is like real-life magic. I was greatly saddened when the series ended. Another former favorite was Ink Master. Ink Master features tattoo artists in a competition that tests their tattooing and other artistic skills. If you’ve known me for a while you know that I have tattoos and that I love them. As much as I loved Ink Master, I stopped watching when the show became more about the drama than the tattoos. (Insert eye roll here)

My current favorites are all cooking shows, primarily baking. As a matter of fact, I have Guy’s Grocery Games playing in the background while I type, LOL. My DVR is set to record the Halloween Baking Championship, the Kid’s Baking Championship, Worst Cooks in America, the Holiday Baking Championship, the Spring Baking Championship, Top Chef,  and The Great Food Truck Race. When new episodes aren’t available it’s not uncommon for me to watch reruns of any of the listed shows. Fortunately, this year’s Halloween Baking Championship has new episodes weekly and Netflix is releasing new episodes of the Great British Baking Show every week. Woot!

The second category is veterinarian shows. There are so many awesome shows in this category: The Vet Life, Heartland Docs DVM, Dr. Oakley Yukon Vet, Dr. Jeff Rocky Mountain Vet, and the Incredible Dr. Pol. Even more exciting is that our local veterinarians, Drs. Vernard Hodges and Terrence Ferguson, now have a show on Nat Geo Wild! Critter Fixers: Country Vets just started filming it’s second season. I’m so proud of these guys! What is extra amusing to me is that Dez, one of my cats, enjoys watching TV and he has developed a marked preference for vet shows, especially The Incredible Dr. Pol. He’ll come from where ever he is and watch in fascination.

Dez

Dez watching Dr. Oakley

Are you a reality TV fan? What are your favorite shows?

 

2 comments

  1. Ami Chancellor Phillips says:

    I didn’t watch reality TV when it first came on — and kidnappers could torture me by forcing me to watch any “real housewives” or Kardashian show. That said, I love the shows that you mentioned. I had a tattoo before I watched Ink Master. Now, I study an artists work and their lines in examples before I’ll consider letting them put a needle to me. Face Off was a family favorite; they amazed me with their skill. I don’t watch too much vet TV, but we do enjoy Dr. Pol. The show that became (and remains) and obsession for me is the Great British Baking Show. The Britishness just makes it for us. We’ve been watching it most nights for almost 4 years. *I need to clarify. We’ve been watching the original PBS seasons on Netflix for almost 4 years. We aren’t fans of the new judge, new hosts, or the change in vibe of the show. I’m happy watching the re-runs again and again.

    • Isabella Norse says:

      The new judge and hosts grew on me. However, I’m not a fan of the man that has replaced Sandi Toksvig on the new season. I know it was Sandi’s choice to leave but, I miss her. :-(

Leave a Reply to Ami Chancellor Phillips Cancel reply