URL: http://community.realitytvworld.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/rtvw2/community/dcboard.cgi
Forum: DCForumID80
Thread Number: 24
[ Go back to previous page ]
Original Message
"This show is ok, but why isn't it good?"
Posted by Reality432423 on 12-19-04 at 09:04 PM
I watch this show every Tuesday, why is it just ok? I like Branson alot, he's way more down to earth then Trump is. I like the stunts in this show too, but overall this show doesn't do anything for me, and I'm thinking why?

My only thought is, maybe the contestants aren't great, but then again I"m not sure.

I really can't put my finger on it.

Table of contents
Messages in this discussion
"RE: This show is ok, but why isn't it good?"
Posted by smokedog on 12-20-04 at 00:46 AM
Bingo. The contestants.

I think it has something to do with the prime candidates already appearing on other reality shows, like The Apprentice. Just diminishing returns - the well is starting to run dry I guess.

"A big reason...."
Posted by shakes the clown on 12-20-04 at 01:50 AM
...is that, in true Bunin-Murray fashion, the eliminations make no sense. They have an elimination challenge, yet the results of that challenge have NOTHING to do with who gets eliminated?????? How does that make any sense at all? Also, by having such an asinine elimination process, the trickle down affect is that it ends up making every other fascet of the game lame and pointless.


So don't take the simple
fact that I think Shakes is godlike to mean that I think he isn't an ass. -Samiam 10/12/04

"RE: A big reason...."
Posted by Swami on 12-20-04 at 08:08 AM
Bingo! This stupid elimination thing has driven me crazy with this show. I keep thinking it will get better as the pool of contestants gets smaller - but the opposite seems to be happening.

Swami

"Both"
Posted by PagongRatEater on 12-20-04 at 12:08 PM
I think Shakes is dead-on that it is ridiculous that the elimination challenges are just a factor in who gets eliminated rather than the determinant. They have to have challenges that have a clear winner and more often than not they don't, so it MUST become subjective. I suppose that allows Branson more latitude since, in theory, he is picking someone to run his company, but it makes for unsatisfying television.

OTOH, I also think that the contestants have either been lackluster or, more likely, they have just been edited in such a way as to not really let us get a great feel for them. I think that there are actually some very interesting people and personalities on the show, but we have not been vested into any of them so we have no investment in who wins or loses. In essence, we don't CARE what happens to these people cause we don't care about these people.

Just my 1/50th of a dollar.


"RE: Both"
Posted by Reality432423 on 12-20-04 at 08:13 PM
Yea, you guys are right. The Contestants are ok, the big problem is the challenges. Bascially most of the challenges both players win or lose at the same time. Its not a real competition, because if a player loses doesn't mean he's out.

This show would improve if the loser of the challege would instantly get fired. There is no tension or excitment in these challenges. I think that's it.

Also I also think since it follows the same concept as the Apprentice and Benefactor, this show seems like a clone of the others, therefore not very original.


"RE: Both"
Posted by Captain_Savem on 12-22-04 at 06:18 PM
This show would improve if the loser of the challege would instantly get fired.

I agree that it would make for a good show, but it wouldn't be good business. Why? Because at the end of the day you're more likely to be stuck with a bunch of jocks or thrill junkies and very rarely do they posses the expertise required to run an organization.

PRE is right, Branson needs some flexibility when it comes to firings, but then what you have left, as Shakes pointed out, is a format that doesn't make a lick of sense. It takes the use of strategery right out the window. And consequently, contestants calling each other out and getting into altercations are much ado about nothing since no one can form alliances and vote people out.


The Evolution Continues...


"12/21 Best Episode Yet"
Posted by PagongRatEater on 12-22-04 at 10:25 AM
Last night we finally had a decent episode - although we had another HORRIBLE elimination challenge - we actually had some human drama that led to me actually pulling for (and against) certain people in the show. We finally have a clear villian! And I think that will do nothing but help the show.

MERRY CHRISTMAS. And God Bless us. Every one.


"RE: 12/21 Best Episode Yet"
Posted by Captain_Savem on 12-22-04 at 06:21 PM
Last night was a good show. I felt really bad for Candida even though I wasn't too fond of her.

We needed this episode in week two (week three at the latest).


The Evolution Continues...


"RE: 12/21 Best Episode Yet"
Posted by Loree on 12-23-04 at 08:16 AM
I have never liked Candida either. So I wasn't unhappy to see her booted. I also knew that Gabe would stick around. Branson wasn't going to boot another guy and be left with only Shawn and the women.
"RE: 12/21 Best Episode Yet"
Posted by Swami on 12-23-04 at 10:01 AM
Oh I liked Candida just fine, but she made quite a few mistakes - especially crying - and I didn't expect her to be a final contender. Erica & Nichole are seriously unlikeable, I don't see how he could pick either of them to "head" Virgin after editing them in such a negative fashion.

Swami

"RE: 12/21 Best Episode Yet"
Posted by ohboy on 12-23-04 at 10:37 AM
I think that the show isn't great because he apparently has favorites I mean him and Shawn (who has screwed up time and time again) and he keeps getting passes and now no one will take him to elimination cause they know they will get fired. I think this one will end with Shawn running Virgin, Richard likes him and the way he operates I think it's apparent right away.
Is good though cause you have Erika and Nicole being nasty makes it fun and they are easy to hate.
"New episode tonight..."
Posted by Loree on 12-28-04 at 05:25 PM
At least we get a new episode of something tonight.
"RE: This show is ok, but why isn't it good?"
Posted by SoloHeart on 12-28-04 at 10:48 PM
LAST EDITED ON 12-28-04 AT 10:52 PM (EST)

I think that perhaps Branson because of his lifestyle in general is likeable and truly amazing does not seem to become as involved as we would expect and as said by others,we have yet to really understand where he is coming from with the strange eliminatons.I love the show,but only for the fact that I am fascinated with trying to see why and how he has become a success.I am watching an E True Story on him and other billionaires and I do think we need to have more of the human interest of both Richard and the contestants.If you look at
it as a subtle way to choose someone to fill such a huge position,then perhaps it is wonderful~!!!Trivia?:
What did he originally want to name Virgin?....Oh and this is a wonderful commercial for his businesses @$19,000 a ticket to ride???.How brilliant is that?

It took reality shows to teach me that I live in unreality~!Life should never be too serious,unless there is a great deal of money involved...okay enough lol~!!!

"RE: This show is ok, but why isn't it good?"
Posted by Loree on 12-29-04 at 08:58 AM
What I notice is that Richard gets closer to his contestants than Trump ever does. Trump pops in now and then with his Gladiator music to be idolized and then he is gone till the boardroom, letting Carolyn and George monitor the group. But Richard really spends time with the contestants. He gets to know more of their personality. So I think he is picking more on his true likes of a person rather than what others think and on the challenge, like Trump does. Trump does what he thinks will be good for ratings. Richard seems to want to keep certain people he has a personal like for.
"RE: This show is ok, but why isn't it good?"
Posted by RangeRover on 12-29-04 at 12:27 PM
Branson is a by far better administrator of the tasks and the candidates... however there often seems no rhyme to the reason behind the elimination challenges and they seem unneccessary at best when the simple task and their behavior/etc seem enough to base a termination on... and ironically is in MOST of the cases.

But last night was just odd. Produce a commercial then losers go and the loser stays.. the model!!! shock!!! and she oversees the competition again to produce a commercial. Okay... so she now becomes eyes/ears and that is just odd.

And Sean, who I loathe, is getting the winner's edit, despite the fact that Branson hated him from day one and frankly nothing has changed that makes that phoney 'f" any better in my eyes. The only ones I like are Sara and Gabe.

Bunim/Murray really blew it.. they do better with human drama and interaction with Teens better than adults. They really tried to force the entire conflict between the women and it obviously didn't work... no one liked the bitchy attorney DUH but it doesn't need to go on and on.

Pick a format - either this is a human drama/interaction show or its a competition show or its a travel show. Find one and stick with it.

"RE: This show is ok, but why isn't it good?"
Posted by Swami on 12-29-04 at 01:36 PM
LAST EDITED ON 12-29-04 AT 01:38 PM (EST)

??? I thought Branson liked Shawn! I know he likes Sara, but they always edit her as a follower (albeit a good one) not a leader. From this, I have assumed that Shawn may win.

I think Erica is still out as a contender - but putting her back in play will surely throw the two winning teams off center, which I assume was Branson's intent. Nothing is worse than kissing somebody off and then having them show up with control over your future!

(Edited because I can't spell.)



"RE: This show is ok, but why isn't it good?"
Posted by lrlr1 on 12-29-04 at 09:25 PM
>I watch this show every Tuesday,
> why is it just
>ok?

Because Branson, being British, breaks the American reality game show rules. For example, when Branson left the teams a note saying to visit the Buddha in Hong Kong, I think. I thought immediately that he wouldn't have said it if seeing the Buddha was not an important part of the challenge. Turns out to be just the opposite. The team who followed his advice lost and was chastised for wasting time seeing the Buddha instead of on the challenge! Then, again, at the Victoria Falls challenge. The guy who was game for the challenge loses because he was stupid enough to follow Branson's orders! My first thought was that Branson would never give them a challenge that would certainly KILL them, so why would the guy either assume the opposite or, and like me!, how would he know that he would be killed if he went over the falls? Especially when the billionaire Branson gets in the capsule with him? There is no predicting on the part of the viewer of who will succeed and who will fail if, as in the REAL workplace, one follows or disregards the boss' orders. Maybe that works in England (not following orders), but not on my job! And the most recent odd-ball thing that happened was with the who can get the most publicity challenge. The women tricked the media into covering their fake wedding. Branson applauded that deception. Maybe with the English press, but not with the American press, would that have been the case. They would have had to come up with a 'for real' stunt (the press in America would have jumped all over Branson for that!). Not to mention kicking people out of the contest or putting them on notice because of that cab ride to Branson's mansion. The cultural differences are slight, but discombobulating and meaningful to an American audience. I may be wrong, but that's my take on it.

"RE: This show is ok, but why isn't it good?"
Posted by Swami on 12-30-04 at 09:53 AM
Good points, lrlr1. There is a slight cultural disconnect here, but I think changing things up is one of the appealing aspects of this show. I thought booting people based on how they treated the cab driver was a wonderful little twist!

I see Branson's extremely laid-back personality as a real problem in involving viewers. He has way less ego than any of the contestants.