4 Reasons to Avoid Reality Shows with the Word “Wars” in the Title

Okay.  So 8 years ago I thought there was too much reality TV.  Well here in 2012, there’s 8 times as much as there was 8 years ago.  Reality TV is everywhere.  When will it all end?

One type of show (that A&E seems to specialize in) is the “War” show.  There’s “Parking Wars”, “Shipping Wars”, “Storage Wars”, “Storage Wars: Texas” and  “Whale Wars”.  Apparently, there’s just tons of “war” going on in the TV arena.

Well, that’s garbage.  And yes, people have been saying that reality TV is garbage for years, so that’s nothing new.  But these types of shows are a lower form of garbage than any other.  These shows are a lower than discarded paint cans at the bottom of Lake Eerie.  And here’s 4 reasons why.

1.  War is not a TV show

Ask any veteran or current servicemen what war is like… And the answer is usually, “Hell”, if they’ll even want to talk to you about it.  Parking your car illegally is not a war.  Bidding for a lapsed storage unit is not a war.  Trying to save a whale, while noble and right, is not a war.  War should never, NEVER, be associated with a parking ticket, or a shipping challenge.  The fact that these shows are using that analogy is an insult to the men and women that serve our country.

2.  There are no human casualties

War, unfortunately, involves the loss of human life.  Thankfully, there are no lives lost on these shows.  But in real war, people are killed.  Why anyone would want to associate entertainment with the loss of life is beyond me.  The drama they think they’re drumming up is an insult to the American viewing public, and an ever larger slap in the face to our military.  And on the subject of false drama…

3.  Those shows are lazily named

Can’t they think of another clever way to name these shows?  Do they really think that just because the word “War” is in the title that people are going to tune in?  If people are tuning in, I don’t know who they are.  Not only is no one I know watching these shows, no one is talking about them either.  I don’t know if anyone from A&E reads this blog, but if they do… Tell your buddies at the network… Your war shows aren’t working.

4.  The “Casts”

Have you seen the people on these shows?  They’re about as ‘real’ as German speaking Muskrats from Mars.  These shows reek of what I call ‘the cook up’.  These people have been told what to say, how to say it, when to say it, how to act, who to get angry at, who to align with and when to reverse those directives.  It’s not ‘real’ at all.  And who needs that?

So do us all a favor John or Jane Q. TV Viewer, if you’re watching these shows… STOP.  You’ll create a better viewing environment for us all, and as an ancillary benefit, pay some over due respect to those that are actually putting their lives on the line everyday in actual war.  Maybe then, when those brave soldiers come home, they can watch TV that’s actually worth watching.