Reality T.V. - if YOU were in charge
Something I was thinking of posting several months ago, but just never got round tuit. Lost all my round tuits. Been meaning to look for em, but just ain't got round tuit.
I've asked myself - what kind of show would I care to participate in? Or what kind of show would I be really interested in tuning into each episode of and watching?
Firstly, let's point out that there are differences between: Trying or being able to get rescued or self-rescue quickly; Survival for extended periods; Longer term scenarios which are practically 'extreme homesteading' instead of simple survival. And also differences between: Demonstration/instructional; quasi-real tests, challenges, or competitions.
So...I'm interested in what other people would come up with if they had the opportunity to be in charge of such a thing. I think it'd be another thing that might be enlightening due to exactly how YOU would design a reality show geared to varioius survival topics.
The thread-question breaks up into more than one:
- What kind of show do you wish existed on t.v. that you'd feel is worth watching?
- How would the show have to be designed in order for you to participate yourself?
- What kind would it be per the above categories (rescue, extended survival, demonstration, 'real' situations, competition or cooperation, etc) ?
And with no further ado, I'll of course include a couple of ideas of mine. I've left out many technical details to keep it short(ish):
Scenario 1
General idea - Challenge/competition. 'Real' as opposed to demonstration. For participants to survive in primitive fashion, but do so for long enough that "just barely hanging on until rescue" isn't good enough. It's for just long enough that they're required to do well enough to compete during a 'second phase', which would be the test of how well they've maintained their physical and mental capabilities, and the state of their social cohesion.
- Three groups of three people each. All strangers to each other. In separate remote locations. Each group gets to choose a limited number of 'low tech' items, plus clothing.
- There is no incentive or requirement to lose a member of your group. There may even be a minor decrease in the dollar amount received at the end for the winning group (for each person individually) if a member(s) is lost, and the second phase may even be designed to be slightly harder for only one or two to complete. Otherwise if only one person is left in a group for the second phase, they can continue.
- The first phase is pretty much like Alone or N&A otherwise. It lasts for 5 or 8 weeks (?).
- After this time, there is some kind of 'scavenger hunt' which is physically and mentally challenging that each group must engage in while continuing to 'survive'. Each group remains isolated from each other during this phase. The first group to complete this is the winner, so they also race against time at this point. They are given 1 week for this - after 1 week, the winning group is whichever has made the most progress.
Scenario 2
General idea - 'Real', but also demonstrative, though not staged. Non-competitive. Not so much a challenge to see if participants can succeed, but a 'really happening' demonstration of what it takes and what it's like for viewers to observe and keep up with.
- 10 people. In a remote wilderness. From early spring to late spring the following year.
- There are no built-in incentives for non-cooperation or competitiveness, but also little incentive for cooperation, though there is to a limited extent. They attempt to survive/thrive together either as long as possible, or to the end.
- Though the group is granted a limited number of 'low tech' items, they are otherwise not intentionally handicapped. The idea is not quite to 'see if they can do it', but to show it being done in reality for viewers. They get an initial supply of rudimentary foodstuffs and water to last for 1 or 2 weeks, depending upon how they decide to utilize and ration. They would have some plant-identification and how-to books. They would even first spend a day of instruction (whether or not they're already knowledgeable and experienced...but the show may also be only for people without much experience) on the various concerns with primitive wilderness survival, techniques and practices, safety, social dynamics, etc - this would be the first episode before their endeavor begins.
- They are periodically issued whatever vitamins/minerals that are absolutely vital which they wouldn't be able to obtain on their own. They are each occasionally given a very rudimentary health exam.
- Camera operators are not present. Filming is done with some kind of remote-operated camera set-up. Requiring minimal attention from the participants.
- Each person who makes it to the end gets X amount. Anyone who drops out earlier gets a daily wage for the time that they've spent. Anyone can request extra medical attention anytime, or medical staff can call for it. For every time that this happens (and anytime extra treatment is called for during the regular check-ups), there is a minor reduction in that person's daily wage from that point on or in how much they get in the end. Medical staff can also call for someone's dismissal from the show. Each time extra medical attention is requested or called for (also for each time extra treatment during the regular check-ups takes place), and each time someone leaves the show, there is also a minor reduction in whatever everyone else gets, but this is a much smaller decrease than it is for the individual.
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Originally Posted by Faiaoga
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