Reality TV Stars = Death of Quality TV characters

I had a conversation on Facebook with a friend about Criminal Minds this past week. We loved the episode as one of our favorite characters took charge. I've also had several convos with a friend via Blackberry Messenger breaking down several shows and their characters/themes.

It was rare because have you noticed who we talk about on TV? What shows/characters dominate the chatter on Twitter/Facebook. It's more reality show character than created ones.

It's been 10 years since Survivor changed television forever. It brought back the game show to late night television popularity and it also introduced reality shows to the masses. Real World and Road Rules are the real godfathers of the genre but Survivor took it to the masses and spawn a lot of imitators and a few greater.

The 2000's will be the last decade we had classic TV characters that folks can name off the top. It's no surprise most of them are on HBO since their programs completely crapped on regular TV mostly.

Tony Soprano and Carrie Bradshaw are as iconic as anybody while Jack Bauer, Dr. House, Don Draper and Gil Grissom were 4 of the best in drama. Comedywise? It's all about the sextet from Friends, the five ladies of Desperate Housewives and Michael Scott/Dwight from "The Office"

HBO had the shows that were cultural phenomenons. Sopranos and Sex in the City forced Emmy to show them love. The Wire is arguably the greatest show of the decade and fans still discuss the characters/plots feverishly, enough to make me eventually plot to buy the box set.

ABC brought us Lost and Grey's Anatomy but those were largely ensemble shows without a major star. NBC had Friends and now has 30 Rock/The Office and CBS had CSI but somehow brought out Charlie Sheen in a sitcom and Neil Patrick Harris from the TV dead.

But think about it? It's the decade where Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie took the simple life, women fawn over The Bachelor and Survivor drama captivated us. Who even remembers all 5 dudes from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy yet that was on primetime on Must See TV?

The #1 show the last six years? American Idol. The new sextet dominating TV? The Jersey Shore crew. The stars on TV are real folks as opposed to writers creating great characters and us discussing them. Now we discuss "reality" and if anything we just say how unreal it is.

People discuss the Real Housewives and To Catch a Predator like it's a religion. Established stars are doing reality TV and it turns out their "TV persona" or folks introducd through that show get lives of their own (see Keyshia Cole's ultra hood mother)

I feel like we won't see too many great discussions of characters anymore. While shows like 30 Rock, Modern Family, Mad Men, Glee (hate to admit it), Boardwalk Empire, True Blood, the various Law and Orders have revived traditional shows, feels like the masses will be discussing some reality show drama. I don't hate it, I just find it interesting.

Is it due to lack of great writing or just mass appeal in a different direction. It's both. There's way more creativity on cable TV than network but the mass appeal for reality means also the death of more characters reaching the public sphere.

Most shows now are ensemble based as opposed to one breakout star who carries it. You have Liz Lemon (30 Rock, 1st pic), Barney (How I Met Your Mother) Don Draper (Mad Men, 2nd pic), Nucky Thompson (Boardwalk), Alec Baldwin on 30 Rock, Kyra Sedgwick on the "Closer", Bryan Cranston on "Breaking Bad" (a show I've barely heard of, much less seen), Jane Lynch on "Glee" but if you were to pick a Top 10 of compelling characters or moments on TV, most folks would name reality show characters.

There's something cool about discussing the themes and people in a created world as opposed to breaking down caricatures of reality. It's what we do in literature and film and great TV still does that. But just like a great, well-crafted song will go unappreciated by most, well-written shows will be overlooked.

The 2000's were the end of an era and the emergence of another that's threatening to dominate the 2010's. It's literally become the Survivor era where the tribe has spoken and tradition is being snuffed out. But at what expense?

So You Think You Can Dance >>>>>> American Idol

American Idol is now over. I heard through the crowded winery that Kris Allen defeated Adam Lambert and somewhere 40+ million people tuned in like they always do for this talent show. Now Kris will join the successful careers of Taylor Hicks, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard – oh wait, when was the last time you saw them on the pop charts?

Sheet, Adam Lambert has a better chance of success because he lost. Successful winners are Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks and Carrie Underwood, successful losers are Chris Daughtry, Clay Aiken and Jennifer Hudson. Whose career would you rather have?

Now that I forced myself to write two paragraphs analyzing American Idol, let me say that for the record I have never seen one episode of this show since it started in 2002. That summer, I was more geeked about starting college than watching a singing competition. Listening to people sing in a competition doesn’t interest me – I’m more into hearing people sing and judging that performance. But the bigger problem is letting America judge who wins – it’s all popularity, not skill.

Watching people sing for a prize doesn’t fascinate me. Singing is not easy but I can tell you from being involved in church choirs and playing the piano that you can train someone to use their voice if they learn the difference between off-key and on-key.

For the record, I abhor reality competitions but I do like watching a few, none more than So You Think You Can Dance. Now here’s a show that takes great skill, creativity and not everyone can do it. And it’s a show I never thought I’d watch.

Dancing requires a lot of technique and after I took salsa for my elective senior year, I got a better understanding of footwork and the nuances of an artform I never would’ve given two craps about. I always loved dancing at parties and clubs but after I took salsa, my views on it expanded.

Great singers are a dime a dozen. Great dancers are harder to find. I love hearing people sing but there’s something more fascinating with seeing someone dance because you can say so much with your body. There’s only so much you can do vocally but there’s so much more you can do with your body on the dance floor. It’s why dance-offs are more fascinating.

Case in point – go to any club and watch two people challenge each other. It’s way more hype than watching somebody sing with no stage presence.

My problem is that AI has not raised the art form. It’s changed the game to make people think that’s the way to stardom but it hasn’t brought any substance. SYTYCD, however, has made people take another look at dance and reinvigorated interest in a niche people haven’t really explored. Don’t forget hip-hop made waves first not because of the MC but because of the DJ and the b-boy/b-girl showing off their moves.

Plus, you don’t have to worry about the watering down of dance while watching the show because there are so many avenues for dancers that are still relatively niche in nature. I'm a big fan of singing but the challenge and creativity in dance is much more intriguing to watch.

So pardon me while I enjoy the summer’s best show and care less where Adam or Kris end up.