Monday, July 6, 2009

Big Brother


For some reason I have been watching the UK version of Big Brother by downloading the daily episodes. Its the first time I have watched a version of that show from another country. Its so much less bloodthirsty than the American version and I wonder if that has more to do with the differences in the their cultures or their broadcast standards (although the UK show does call a male contestant 'half wit' and a pretty female contestant 'dog face'). One major rule difference is that the participants in the UK version of the show are forbidden from discusssing who they are nominating for eviction every week. On the American version that is ALL that seems to be discusssed. Alliances are formed and broken and most of the drama is centered around that fact. The UK version is much more about how the people (who are forced together with few distractions) live and interact with one another. How differences in lifestyle or education or beliefs cause friction. The American version is all about the game playing and how one person can betray or 'backdoor' another person that may be a threat to them winning the game. The new version of the US Big Brother starts this week and its become one of my guilty pleasures. I like 'Survivor' for the same reason. I just enjoy those moments when someone has had enough and the 'real' personality emerges. Sure I know its mostly scripted to artificially create dramatic tension but I enjoy putting my brain in neutral for the time its on. I just hope that my blog doesn't become reality show centric for the next couple of months. I am sure my regular readers will pull me back from the edge if it does. PLEASE! I have no one in my real life to watch these things with so if you too share my affliction then let me know and we can discuss who we like and hate in the privacy of our shame. The British version does have a guy named Marcus who has the Wolverine mutton chops. He is cool because he collects action figures. I like to imagine he is really Logan and will go all berserk one day while having a sugar low. You are sad you haven't been watching now aren't you?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like the UK version, I was watching it on youtube but they took the channel down...I'm in Canada too.

Where are you downloading it from? You can email me at "zacerynova@hotmail.com" if you like.

Siskoid said...

I'm guilty of reality watching too. I remember the first season of American BB, and it was more like the UK version... and incredibly boring.

Because of a "you nominate, America votes out" scheme, it just became this schmaltzy love=in "it's us against the world" thing that ran EVERY NIGHT.

Pushing it into catty Survivor territory was the only thing for it.

Now if they could only evict Julie Chen. Worst. Host. Ever.

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

They don't call her the "CHENBOT" for nothing.

Phronk said...

What did you think of the American one? The "clique" thing is an interesting twist (that'll probably only last a few weeks). Kinda bugs me that they pronounce it "click", though.