I’m going to say it in public. I think the Bachelor Pad is the greatest reality TV show ever. Okay maybe All-Star Survivor when Rob fell in love with Amber and they won all the money was better, but other than that – this is right up there for me. The comedic value (I mock – I mock a lot) is just endless.
This show is awful, mindless, pointless and probably does suck up IQ points. I know.
But it’s beautiful people running around living in this very tense environment made tense by their own shallow awfulness to each other and I just can’t get enough.
They put ex-fiances together. They put women who didn’t like each other together. They put ex-fiances with a new love interest together. Take 18 beautiful men and women who believe love or money can be found easiest on television – they know this because they have already been on the Bachelor and Bachelorette – and you’ve got a hit.
As I watched it and was completely absorbed for the three hour premier… (That’s right! I watched for three hours and loved every second of it)… I thought what are these people doing? Thank you for doing it… but really… who are you?
Why are they having sex when they know there is a camera there but thinking large pillows will hide their actions? Why are they saying these ridiculous things… like “I’m here to protect you. You’re here to protect me. We’re here to protect each other.”
I’m not lying. This is real dialogue from real people who I believe are genuine when they say these things. They believe this fictional reality is real. They believe in what they are doing on the show. They think they really a) might find love or b) will somehow make money as a result of this.
And I think it’s because of that, because they’ve so bought into their reality that as a viewer I get sucked in.
It’s kind of like a J.R. Ward book. If you take some of her heroes out of context, some of her dialogue out of context… if you read aloud some scenes from those books… you might think cheesy. But when you get sucked in to what’s she’s doing. When you buys these characters at face value… it’s wonderful awfulness that you can’t get enough of.
That’s what this show is for me. It reminds me that sometimes characters can bring the cheese. As long as I believe it for them when I’m writing the lines or conveying the thoughts then I can make readers believe it too.
As writers we have to believe in the reality we built for our characters and if we do everything said and done there will be okay. I think.
I guess my point is…. It’s okay to say. “I will guard and protect your heart.” You believe your character really means it.
5 comments:
Wow. Three hours of Bachelor Pad? Three solid hours? That's got to be worth some kind of medal or something.
Can't stop laughing.
I don't think I'll believe Casey saying, "I will guard and protect your heart" in any context. But you're right. He believes in his own cheesy (probably insane) reality.
That Vienna hooked up with him (and Wes) is further proof to me that all she wants is to stay relevant to the tabloids. Of course, she first seduced the ultimate cheese factory -- Jake. But the way she behaved after they lost that challenge? Casey is truly insane to put up with that and/or 100% controlled by his d*ck and she must have one magic hoo-haw.
Love how you summed up the show: "...beautiful people running around living in this very tense environment made tense by their own shallow awfulness to each other..."
Perfect. That's what should be printed in the TV Guide. :)
Maureen - my friend and I have had many discussions on this... Vienna's hoo-haw is indeed magical. It simply must be to lure these poor men into it.
I believe that all our hoohaws are magical. And glittery. We're each just magical in our own special way.
Eileen, but when someone is so blatantly annoying as this Vienna caricature, you really have to wonder what exactly she does in bed to lure these men in.. that is a book I would buy.
Stephanie I was there with you, watching, absorbed, from the moment the blond girl wearing the tiara walked in to the room, to the daft challenge, all the ridiculousness and you summed it up perfectly.
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