Reality TV Shows

  I almost cried when I heard that Jen had been diagnosed with Cancer.  One of the Dugger girls has a boyfriend!  Chumley looks much better now that he's lost weight.  I don't know how Mike puts up with Frank, sometimes he really annoys me.  Come on Jared and Brandy, why did you buy that junk?
No these are not family friends.  They don't even know me but I feel like I know them.  Reality TV is a way to see how someone else lives, or at least the part they want you to see. 
   The first reality show I ever watched was Survivor.  I'd always dreamed about living on a deserted island.  I grew up watching Gilligan and the Skipper.  I  identified with MaryAnn and wished I was more like Ginger.  I was hooked and never missed an episode.  Did he really just eat that?  I lost interest after a few years, the people didn't seem as real as in the earlier days.
  More recently it was The Biggest Loser.  I never missed a show the first few seasons but they started adding all kinds of twists and turns and it doesn't seem like it's as much about the struggle anymore.  I was horrified when I saw this seasons winner.  Thin may be in but she took it way too far.
What not to Wear was great.   It wasn't always perfect people they helped to dress better.  That woman was built like me.  Too tall, too short, too curvy, they all looked great in the end.
  America's Next Top Model, Design Star, Food Network Star, all were favorites at one time.  At least they were competitions that required some kind of real talent.  I didn't agree with the judges many times but that kind of added to the enjoyment.  Some of the designs on Project Runway are pretty funky but I still look forward to that one. 
  I love the feel good shows.  The last five minutes of Undercover Boss always brings tears to my eyes.  Restaurant Impossible always has a happy ending though I sometime wonder how many of those places stay in business. I can't get enough of The Little Couple and how they overcome their many struggles.  I just realized that they are on tonight!  I'm dying to see what happened.
  Is it unhealthy to so be involved in other peoples lives?  It's not like all I do is watch television.  A couple of evenings a week I enjoy seeing people doing things I've never done.  Living in situations that are different than mine. But not too different.  I avoid the hoarders and the swamp people, the housewives and any show that has to bleep out half the words.  The television was invented as a way to relax after a hard day.  Actually it was probably more to let people see what was going on outside their own little town.  Reality TV still does that.