As I was doing yard work yesterday afternoon I got thinking about terrible reality show concepts that would make anyone cringe. Keep in mind, we’ve seen some actual terrible ideas make it to television over the years such as “Dating Naked,” where people would meet up with no clothes on. There was “Joe Millionaire,” which made women fall in love with a wealthy man only to learn he wasn’t wealthy at all and was actually a construction worker. Remember “The Moment of Truth?” Contestants had to take a lie detector test before the show and then had to answer awkward questions honesty in front of family and friends on national TV. Then there was “The Swan,” which saw women participate in a pageant while undergoing a transformative process – it was panned by critics. Oh….and we can’t forget about “The Simple Life” with Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie.
Of course, there have been successful reality shows like “Big Brother,” “American Idol,” Survivor,” and “The Bachelor/Bachelorette, among others.
Now, what if a network called YOU up and asked for a reality show concept. The more unusual and outrageous, the better. What would you come up with? What concept is severely lacking or could be improved on reality TV (or on streaming platforms)? I have a few thoughts:
“Stacking the Dishwasher” – contestants would have to compete for the best organization of a dishwasher while battling unforeseen issues like clogs.
“Bathroom Stall Gossip” – basically like Survivor, but in an office
“Watching Paint Dry” – pretty self explanatory and about as relaxing at the burning log channel. Contestants and viewers can’t fall asleep.
(just watching paint dry on the wall)
“Assembly Line Warriors” – focusing on people working on brake pads and other mechanics while dealing with obstacles on the job.
“Take the Garbage Out on Time” – everyone struggles with that.
The above show concepts should last about 10 minutes before viewers change the channel to something more interesting and action packed like “Coronation Street” or reruns of “The Joy of Painting” with Bob Ross!
Ok, back to yard work now.
