I have mixed feelings about reality TV, as I’m sure many others do. Some shows like Colonial House and Mad Mad House have caught my attention because the subject matter interested me, but most of them just use real people in ridiculously manipulated experiences that defy reality. I used to feel that way about American Idol as well, but that show has finally produced a unique voice that totally justifies its existence – Fantasia Barrino.

I’ve enjoyed her voice since her initial audition with the three judges, each week delighting that she was moving forward in the competition. Unlike past American Idol finalists, Barrino has a unique sound that is unlike most everyone else in pop music today. Usually, America seems to prefer the expected and uninteresting in their pop stars, but this time it would seem that raw talent and distinctiveness might actually win in the end. Even so, I voted successfully 5 times last night for Fantasia, Ms. Barrino if you’re nasty.

Did anyone else watch Colonial House out there? I know PBS is usually no major Neilsen magnet, but someone out there besides the Beeb have to produce the shows that will eventually be re-run on the cable learning channels. Anyway, Colonial House is essentially a show where real people are shipped off to live like colonists from the 1600’s in America. The producers, also responsible for Frontier House, have strived to be as true to the period as possible, from the clothing to the social structure to the strident laws on behaviour. One unexpected surprise was the coming out of Jonathon, the servant of the colony’s lay preacher. At first this reminded me of the expected gay guy in the early Real World shows, but the producers tastefully wove this into the comparison between 17th-century and 21st-century mindsets.

Tonight, I finish both American Idol and Colonial House and ceremoniously wipe them from my ReplayTV. With Alias over until 2005, Sopranos and Deadwood coming to an end soon, and these shows over tonight, my TV watching will finally quiet down again. Too bad the summer movie season starts this weekend. Oy!

Tags: Review, scif

Categories: Public

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