Other's Date example essay topic

1,673 words
In class it was suggested that "hyper real" TV offers it viewers a particularly powerful depiction of the "real" world. Hyper reality is defined as fetishizing the sensory experience of the "real" so that reality is grossly over-simplified. When looking at real TV even though these programs are shot, selected, and edited by somebody in the long run they are still real. What happens when the depiction of the real world is shown through a game show? Is it still real? In trying to explain how media views dating lets take a look at one of televisions popular show Change of Heart.

'Change of Heart' explores the possibilities available when a couple comes to a crossroads in their relationship. The show features guests who are not living together and have been dating less than a year and interviews the questioning couple as to what they " re looking for in an ideal mate and then sets each of them up on a date with someone who meets their criteria. Following their separate dates, the original couple returns to discuss whether they have a future together or if one or both of them has had a 'change of heart. ' The always exciting and much anticipated ending of each episode either finds the original couple reuniting, with a renewed and revitalized relationship, or potentially two new couples heading down the road to romance. The values that this program places on relationships should be a question that society should think about when people watch a program of this form.

What this program does is take a couple that is having problems with their relationship and instead of working things out between the two of them they go on national television and insult one another, at the same time you try and have fun doing it. You do this by going out with a stranger and on the date do things as if you " re not in a relationship with someone. This show encourages their participants to go out on these dates, have sex with each other, and engage in any other creative provocative activities they can come up with. In the eyes of the producers the more erotic and provocative they are on these dates, the more controversy and argument that occurs on the show, the higher their ratings are, the more money they make, and every one knows that is all that matters in their eyes.

An obvious disagreement that could possibly come about is that if you have a person who is extremely religious they may not like this show. A healthy relationship is suggested to consist of respect, trust honesty, and shared responsibility just to name a few. But this show now adds sex and controversy as a major component of what the producers would like to think is a health relationship. This show is a program that not only fosters sex on the first date but also sex outside of marriage.

As you will see later on this show has a selective audience type that they want to gain and religious folks are not part of that audience. So if you like this show you might not want to tell your church about it. The way the show works is the contestants go and pick up their prospective blind date and are told to plan out a day of fun. A typical date usually goes like this: first the individual meets the other at some agreed upon location. They introduce themselves and then head out.

They then proceed to usually some type of pre-dinner activity (ex. shopping, walk, or rock climbing). Then there is dinner of some sort were they do some more talking and use this as a window for opportunity to see what may happen later on that night. After dinner there is some type of after dinner event (ex. movie, dancing, moon light walk, etc. ). From there they head to some one's place of residence and usually engage in some R-rated activities. When that is over part two begins.

They all come together on the air were they talk about what happened on the two dates. This is when things begin to get interesting! When the participants get together it all starts out well. They engage in a little casual discussion talking about what happened on each other's date.

Next thing you know with no warning all the participants are arguing with each other and developing tension amongst the crowd and like mentioned before tension boosts ratings. There " re a series of prizes for all the contestants of this program. Some of the minor prizes that each individual receives are a free date, a time out with another person, and the chance to meet some one who meets the criteria for what that other person considers to be the "perfect mate". Some other minor prizes that the individuals on this program receives are the chance to use their interpersonal communication skills, the ability to appear on television and basically the opportunity to have a plain old good time on these dates with no strings attached. The Grand Prize can be distributed one of two ways. One way is the win-win situation.

This is were at the end of the show when the decisions are being made as to weather the individuals who were having the relationship problem at the beginning of the show should stay together or should separate after seeing what each other has done on a date with some one else then they both win. But if one of them does not feel the same way as the other and has a change of heart but the other person wants to stay together then only one person wins. Basically the grand prize is your feelings and heart at the end of the program. If they can survive the turmoil and pain that they are put through then the satisfaction of making it is the contestants self fulfilling prize.

In there eyes they feel like the champion. The host of the show plays an important role to making sure the show goes the way the producers want it to. The host is basically this comical individual who does his or her best to cause controversy, using probing questions to get the juice so to say. The relationship the host has with the contestant is's / he is the type of person who not only annoys them but also embarrasses them at times. When the host notices that the tension is rising too high between the couples he or she will divert the attention of both of them to some other topic so that it doesn't escalate to far. They want tension to build but at the same time they don't want a fight to happen or worse a lawsuit of some sort to develop out of the program.

But one thing the host will do is make sure to get the information that the viewers of the show want to hear and get the information that will keep the audiences attention. Some typical things the host might do is come the opening of the show he will ask a general question like "so John Smith you care to tell us what happened on your date". The person usually begins to explain and then the host will say something along the lines as but you said this in your interview would you care to explain that and usually that is a topic that would cause trouble between the two individuals but at the same time helps to lead them all into the rest of the show. When watching the show you are suppose to enjoy the tension that is being stirred up and also at times relate with each person.

Women typically join sides with the female partner and the men are supposed to join sides with the male partner. No one ever relates with the two individuals who are the blind dates on this program, which is sad because typically they are the ones who have to deal with the most in this program. They are the ones who have to deal with the insults that are thrown out by the others counterpart and also have to deal with the hatred that the audience members have for them because in there eyes these people are trying to break up a couple but in all actuality all they are doing is trying to find some one to love. In concluding this program takes the reality of dating and turns it into a game of who can hurt the other the worst and then make them want them at the end. The main purpose of the program is to toy with people's emotions and feelings as much as possible and this is suppose to help you resolve whatever problems you are having in your relationship. They want to bring in ratings and the goals easily do this by focusing on a major population of viewers.

The goals of this show provide those viewers who are looking for the answers to their relationship problems a resource for those answers. Since there are so many people out there who are in relationships and even more people who are having problems in those relationships the ratings will never drop. If that is not enough ratings another target group this show brings in is single folks who fell that there is no hope in finding a mate. This program gives those people a sense of hope. So basically if you want a false sense of reality dating and conflict resolution then you go on this show.