Reality TV's shows that I like.

In the last post I explained a little about the meaning of "Panem et circencess" and how this phrase is use today by TV companies that give us reality TV's shows. Well that is my reaction to reality TV's shows like:

• The Kardashians
• American Idol
• The Voice
• The Real Housewives of whatever county in the USA

However, there's others reality TV's shows that I like to see (ironic doesn't it?). Most of them are practically new, others have some time on-air but most of them do not are acknowledge by the public. What I like of this shows are different, in a way, to others reality TV's shows.

ACTION HUNTERS



This show is produced by the TV company Spike, and tell the story of 2 friends and bussiness partners that travel the USA to buy abandoned storage units. Allen Haff (left) and Ton Jones (right) are expert on many antiques furniture, weapons, collectibles, etc.

Allen Haff and Ton Jones

The plot of each chapter is the same, they go to a place in the USA to bid on an abandoned storage unit, they won some, and lost others. After paying for the units they prepared to see what they buy, and sell it, to obtain what they spend on the storage, then gain more money. They find things such as Winchester's rifles that have over a 100 years old, collectibles like a $400 baseball card of Willie Mays, and vehicles like miniboats and motorcycles.

FACE-OFF

Glenn Hetrick, McKenzie Westmore, Patrick Tatopoulous and Ve Neill
judges and presentator of Face-Off

Produced by the SyFy channel, this reality TV show is a competition a la American Idol, but with out the thing that you need to call to save the competitors, and that this are no singers, but make-up artists. The competitors are trying to win a $100,000 prize, $25,000 value on make-up and a car (very original). 14 competitors design make-ups to create aliens, monsters, old persons, and many other effects on models. This competitors are judged and eliminated by the judges make-up artist Glenn Hentrick, creature designer and director Patrick Tatopoulos and 3 times Oscar winner for best make-up Ve Neill.  This program is presented by actress McKenzie Westmore.


COMIC BOOK MEN

(From left to rigth)
Ming Chen, Bryan Johnson, Kevin Smith (center),
Mike Zapcic and Walt Flanagan

Comick Book Men tell the adventures and misadventures of Walt Flanagan, Bryan Johnson, Ming Chen and Mike Zapcic on their work in a comic book store own by actor and director Kevin Smith. In the show, produced by AMC, the gang talked about the things happend on the store and the things they do to sell more.


Face-Off and Comic Book Men had ended on March 14 and March 18,respectively. But, SyFy renewed Face-Off to a 3rd season on the summer, meanwhile Comic Book Men are in talk to renew. Until then, you can watch Auction Hunters new season on Wednesday on Spike.


P.S: You shall know that Glenn Hentrick and Ve Neill worked in the up-coming "The Hunger Games" movie in the make-up department.


P.S: Ve Neill is working in the up-coming "The Amazing Spider Man" movie (it's not like that anyone cares)

"Panem et circencess."

"Here is Spart... Oh, no! That's from other movie"

In one of Mr. Aronson's class, he  put us to describe the first chapter of the book "The Hunger Games" and he mentioned the origin of the word "Panem", and name of the country where "The Hunger Games" saga are held. He said that the Latin word "Panem" means "bread" and came from the phrase "Panem et circenses" that in English is "bread and circuses". This phrase was used many centuries ago in the Ancient Rome, where the Roman Circuss occurred to maintain the citizens away from the politic. There various gladiators, slaves that trained to entertained the people during the games, fight each other, or wild animals, to the death. The gladiators were the reality TV of the time and the origin of the phrase.

Here kitty, kitty

In the 2000's movie "Gladiator" directed by Ridley Scott and protagonist by Russell Crowe, the plot was that Maximus (Crowe), a Roman general, was converted to a slave and then to a gladiator. The emperor, who kills Maximus' family, try to kill him because he feared Maximus, with the popularity he is receiving as a gladiator, could overthrown him.

There's a parallel situation to Katniss, the protagonist of "The Hunger Games", that with the popularity she is receiving for being "the girl on fire" and "the lover of District 12", generates a tension that could lead to a rebellion of the districts against the Capitol.

Both, the movie and the books, reflect how in their time (or future time) many reality TV could lead to government control over the citizens. "Panem et circenses" was used on Ancient Rome, to describe how the government could control the citizens by giving them a show and food to maintain them away from the politic and in that way control them more easily.

The movie "Gladiator" explained it when the Emperor gives the people the gladiator's fights to gain their trust. Similarity, "The Hunger Games" saga bring this topic to the citizens of the Capitol. When President Snow make each year the hunger games to entertain the citizens and control the districts.

Telerisa and TV Apesta

One example to this in the real world is in Mexico, where the 2 principal TV companies control the media in the country. Many citizens of the country, myself included, are against Televisa and TV Azteca programs. Many of you that lived in Mexico could understand a little more about it but for the ones who do not here is the explanation. This 2 companies ruled most of the content that passed on TV, they are 2 monopolies, as well many of the news that happen in the country. Most of the case about this 2 companies is that they always passed soap operas or "telenovelas" that count the same story over and over again. A rich guy/girl fall in love with the poor guy/girl, and in the end they love triumphs. Televisa and TV Azteca do not passed the news that need to happen, they covered many news that are important to the citizens, instead they give "atole con el dedo" (to fool someone) to the citizens.

"Who cares?"

In the United States there's other example of how the citizens are receving a circuss. American Idol, the program of the Fox Channel, is a circuss of how the citizens began to watch it instead of inform themselves about the candidates that are running for President, Governor, or Congressman. The people only care if they favorite singer is the next one to be eliminated or not.

So because of that I only have something to that type of programs that only make people more stupid.