I’m sure most of you out there watch some sort of reality television, I know I do.
Some of my favourite television shows are, in fact, Reality TV with an outdoor theme. Hunting and fishing reality TV such as; Mountain Men, Yukon Men, Life Below Zero, Kodiak, The Hunt, Wicked Tuna and so on…make-up much of my evening entertainment!
But I always try to keep things in perspective….
Not ALL of what I watch do I accept at face value. I realize that ‘dramatization’ is all part of reality television these days, but what are we to do?
Perhaps the most ‘real’ out there, or a television show that depicts a more true picture of life in the north is, Life Below Zero. Some find the images to be graphic, but subsistence living does involve fish and wildlife being harvested on a regular basis.
The true reality, for most shows of this nature, is to ‘tone down’ the more graphic images so as to appeal to a wider audience. Some shows will even ‘create’ a story that isn’t really there; simply for entertainment value.
Come on, you’ve all seen it!
Nature photography and programming has been dramatizing and creating ‘stories’ for viewers for centuries, and I’m cool with that, so long as you as a viewer keep things in perspective.
When I watch these shows with Mrs. Outdoors Guy, or my kids, I do feel it necessary to explain the ‘true reality’ of certain situations as we watch them. Those more experienced in the outdoors can see right through Network TV’s attempt to gently ‘pull the wool over viewers eyes’.
But again it’s all cool with me..I even follow some of them on Twitter!
I suppose we can’t be too picky about details when it comes to these TV shows, since there is still value and entertainment in watching them.
At least I think there is…
Speaking of which, I have two episodes of the new series The Hunt, sitting in the PVR I haven’t watched yet, although according to Chessy, this one is somewhat on the brutal side!
Outdoorsguy
