I’m a hopeful guy. I genuinely believe that our generation can do great things. However, there are some things that concern me. Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi was recently paid $32,000 dollars to speak for two hours at Rutgers University. That’s 32,000 reasons to reexamine our priorities.
At this point, the growing population of reality shows in the TV landscape doesn’t seem like it’s going to change very much. Reality shows are cheap, popular, and profitable. Unfortunately, this cost-effective and obscenely popular programming doesn’t exactly trend towards the scholarly.
I have, with few exceptions, steered clear of reality television. However, in the past year I have discovered a genuinely stimulating and well-crafted reality show. ABC’s Shark Tank piqued my interest last year. Currently in its second season, this business-oriented reality series follows the proverbial American dream. Fledgling entrepreneurs enter the “shark tank” to ask for financing for their various projects from a panel of proven businesspeople, or sharks. The sharks will then make an offer, turn the pitch away, or fight each other over the business presented to them. Shark Tank is an offshoot of a successful brand in and of itself, since it is based on a BBC series of the same structure called Dragon’s Den, which was actually based on the Japanese show Money Tigers.
This may sound boring as hell, but unlike most reality and competition shows, Shark Tank doesn’t pander to its viewers or insult their intelligence. I have actually learned things about business from watching the show. For instance, call me stupid, but I had no clue what equity meant before I started watching Shark Tank. The show doesn’t take fifteen minutes to explain to the uneducated viewer how these negotiations actually work, but the viewer picks it up as the show goes along. Watching people in their element is always interesting, and the panel of “sharks” really are in their comfort zone on this panel.
Shark Tank may not have outrageous appeal of Jersey Shore or the bratty good looks of The Real World, but it’s quality television– something that anyone can sink their teeth into.
Check out clips and more about Shark Tank here.
