Anyone who knows me well knows that there are two “reality” shows I simply can’t get enough of. One is The Real Housewives (of Wherever), and the other is what could arguably be considered the ultimate reality show, Dateline.
I could binge watch these shows all day long, one episode after the other. They never get old. I’ve seen every episode before…multiple times. I know how they end. It just doesn’t matter. My heart still skips a beat every time I’m mindlessly searching for something to watch on TV and one of these shows pops up on the channel menu.
Yet, I’ve recently come to the realization that if these programs are my two main sources of “reality”, it could explain why I’m a tad disenchanted by the world in general. One show features a cast of caddy women who appear to want to kill one another, and the other features a cast of corpses who, well…have obviously been killed. And let’s face it, nine times out of ten, it’s always the husband doing the killing, hence some of my many issues with men. But that is a different blog for another time.
It’s a bit amusing to think that both series have a television network practically dedicated to them. It’s rare to flip on Bravo and not see an episode of The Real Housewives. And while Dateline isn’t the only show on ID (Investigation Discovery), and other various channels, it likely inspired a slew of alternative programming featuring death, criminals and stories that are true, but often seem stranger than fiction.
Speaking of ID, when I first discovered this channel, (no pun intended), I was absolutely elated. It allowed me to binge watch Dateline and 48 hours and other like shows all the time. But, as ID gained notoriety, it dawned on me that this was a network entirely built around real life stories of real life tragedies. And there were so many of them – 24 hours worth, seven days a week. While I love a good mystery, it’s depressing to think that there is that much evil in the world. While I often question the authenticity of the Housewives, Dateline and its sister shows are based on truth and fact, in other words, real real life drama.
There are several similarities between the Housewives and Dateline. Most storylines revolve around jealousy and broken relationships. Of course, the former show deals with these issues by tossing a glass of wine in someone’s face or spreading a horrible rumor. The latter usually deals with these same issues by someone taking a life. I’m okay with a little pinot in my hair as long as I make it home in one piece, and well, alive.
The unfortunate thing is, the immorality in this world is just getting worse as time goes on. Villains in the storybooks are being overshadowed by real life devils that truly don’t know how to come to terms with their problems. It seems violence and murder are considerable options, as opposed to simply sitting down and working through something with someone, or better yet, letting go and walking away.
