I would say that I'm a pretty big fan when it comes to reality shows.
Okay, you got me...I'm addicted.
My name is Jacob Harpel and I'm not an alcoholic. Truth be told, I'm just addicted to reality television.
Now before you spew hate on me for being part of a television culture viewed as pathetic and phony, let me just say that I'm not one for all those weird housewife shows...I'm not that far down the rabbit hole. I will confess that I have been known to turn my brain off and watch Rock of Love from time to time.
Nobody's perfect.
ANYWAY
This is the introduction for my blog. What am I anticipating to do with this thing? Well, right now I'm leaving it open. My main goal is to cover Big Brother and Survivor since those are arguably the two most popular reality competition shows right now as well as my favorites. Big Brother Canada is supposed to air sometime in January or February, so I'm excited to kick off the blog by following the third season and writing my critiques opinions on the houseguests and game. Survivor San Juan del Sur is also wrapping up, so instead of jumping on the train late, I imagine I'll do an end of the season critique just for funzies!
Until then, I decided that I would do something special with my first post and give you all some insight on who I am.
(I'm the one in the center, the other two are the people I hired to be my friends...whatever it takes, right???)
Whether I'm chatting at my office or talking to a friend, I can't help but get consumed with a passionate energy whenever the topic of conversation shifts to Big Brother or Survivor. I can talk about it for hours, whether we're discussing past seasons, who we can't stand in the game currently, or how the only people that think Survivor is fake are the ones who don't even watch the show! (I'm looking at you, Janet, in the break room with your judging eyes.)
But why? Why such the obsession? Why watch a show three times a week or even write about it?
I think I've always been a super competitive person, someone that's always wanted to be the very best (I mostly blame Pokemon). My friends and I played video games on a regular basis, and every weekend I would always get crushed by one of my best friends. Even with the consistent defeats, I couldn't help but anticipated the tournaments we would have on our birthdays. We would all put our skills to the test to try and be the last one standing, the one that was able to beat everyone else. To outwit, outplay, outlast...
Sound familiar?
That same feeling really carried over when I started watching reality game shows. The first one I ever remember following was a game called The Mole. To sum it up quickly, 10 contestants try and complete missions in order to make money while figuring out which one of them is a mole whose sole purpose is to sabotage each mission. Every round they would have to answer a questionnaire that asked them questions regarding who they thought the Mole was, the person who got the most questions wrong would be eliminated. The game sounds difficult, but once you start thinking about the intricacies about it...it actually sounds impossible. I'm pretty sure they're the mole...but what if he isn't...what if he's a contestant who is posing as the mole trying to sabotage my questionnaire?!
The Mole, in my opinion, is one of the most challenging and mentally stimulating games ever. I was hooked after that show, I loved watching the constant struggles between people as they had to climb over countless obstacles and be the last one remaining. I was so interested to see what other games were out there that pushed people to their limits. I started watching Solitary, Real World Road Rules Challenge (say that 10 times fast) and eventually...Big Brother.
The first episode I ever watched was the All Stars season when Chicken George had to shave his head off in order to win veto and save himself from the block. Most people would have watched the displayed and though...what a ridiculous show. My thoughts?
Now that's a show I could see myself on.
I watched season after season and then went back to watch the older seasons. I fell in love with Danielle Reyes, cursed at Evel Dick and worshiped Dan Gheesling. Big Brother is like the social olympics, where you have to spend 90 days locked in a house with people who are equally or more looney than you are. There are so many levels of gameplay that goes on that CBS offers 24/7 live feeds, so you can literally watch the houseguest's games evolve as they engage in strategy.
It wasn't long until I also gave Survivor a try and i am now embarrassed proud to say that I have been able to catch up on all 2900 seasons. I will admit that Survivor seems more formulaic which is bound to happen when you continue a show like that for so long. The biggest element I love about Big Brother is that you can go from almost being eliminated to calling the shots next week. That sort of power shift is so rare in Survivor and harder to pull off. It takes a majority to turn things around in Survivor but in Big Brother...it only takes one. Regardless though, it's very easy to get caught up in game of Survivor, it's simplistic yet effective. In a way, the lack of power shifts helps the show's entertainment level, because when they do happen...oh boy.
My point is that I love both of these shows and others like them because they're all special in their own way but still tie in that main theme of being the last one standing. You have to work hard and out maneuver your competition every single round so that when the next torch is snuffed or the latest portrait turns grey...you're still there.
To be honest, I'm not really sure what I'm looking for in this whole thing so I won't be giving myself a strict timeline. At the end of the day, I just want to talk about Big Brother and Survivor! It makes me happy and I think I know more than the average Joe (sorry Chief). I'm excited to explore and see where this whole thing takes me and to hear the feedback along the way. If you like what you see then follow me +JacobHarpel or just tweet me https://twitter.com/JacobHarpel. It's the best way to get in contact with me and to share my posts to anyone that might find them interesting.
I hope you enjoyed my rambling. I promise to make this thing the best it can be for anyone who reads. Here's hoping! Write ya later! ;)
J
Out of Mind, Into Reality
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