Tele-bits: Pet Peeves

Did anyone else know it was going to be CJ as soon as they had that shot of him talking about how much he needed to get to New York? I need to spout off about the poor direction these reality shows are getting. WHY do the people who produce reality shows do these things:

1) stringing the participants and the audience along again and again with the "... ... ... ... after the break" (insert audience groan here).

The worst show: American Idol. Listen Seacrest, the viewers CARE about those young contestants. When the director makes you do this EVERY SINGLE SHOW you are just pissing off the people watching at home.

The best show: On the Lot. After the first painful and ridiculous time they tried the tired Idol strategy they realized how cruel it was and NEVER did it again. Making it short and filmed at the other location made it bearable to watch. Those directors chose to act like human beings and treat their contestants the same way.

2) showing us half of the next segment in the "coming up" cut to commercial or the opening. The worst show: Every reality show on cable and most on regular tv that I watch. From "Welcome to the Parker" to "Top Chef" to "Flipping Out" they all show ridiculous amounts of the show in their "coming up next" section. I don't want to know that Hung is about to go ape-shit or that Jeff Lewis is going to fire Chris "Trash Guy" Elwood again before I get to see it in it's entirety. When I watch "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" I DON'T want to see the startled looks on the family's faces or when Mommy falls down to the ground in freaked out ecstasy, right before the commercial. I want to see it all together, as it happened on film.

The worst of the worst: Ok this isn't really in the same category as it's a talk show and not even close to reality, but the absolute worst direction happens on "Maury" during those paternity shows. I'm NOT going to admit that I watch them...someone told me about them...um, yeah. You always know who's the babydaddy before the next segment! Woman falls to the floor or rushes off the stage with her hands on her head? Not the babydaddy. Man jumps up and points to the audience and grabs himself? Not the babydaddy. Anything else? Babydaddy.

So until the tv peeps figure this out I'll be sitting with the remote in hand, ready to fast forward as soon as I see the "Coming Up Next" message. And I won't be watching anything live. Or watching the commercials that pay for those shows.