TV Tuesday: Is That Who They're Supposed to Be?

[yourlibrarian]

TV has always glamorized characters, even those who weren’t supposed to be while denying jobs to people who look like what they are.

What does "normal people" mean to you when it comes to television? Which shows and/or characters succeed at portraying "the normal life"? And what are clichés that you dislike seeing about supposed normalcy?

Comments

[ecto_one_spengler]

Admittedly I don't watch tons of TV and expect much realism or ugliness from it. It just ain't truly possible in any amount of any TV - people just are inclined towards perfection and appearances, I suppose.

The only hints of true realism/ugliness I ever see are from some cooking shows and when people villainize others when a controversy comes out. Even then, that's not the whole truth - again, because of perfectionism and appearances.

I.. guess I am used to it at this point. Sucks, but I am used to it.

[yourlibrarian]

Although I watch very little unscripted TV, I suspect there's not much realism there either as people are chosen to perform certain types of roles. In a funny way, they are typecasting themselves for future employment!

[ecto_one_spengler]

One of the few positives in such situations, I suppose! Future employment opportunities aren't so bad.

[shadowkat]

Somebody Somewhere - on HBO, kind of came the closest to depicting that reality to me.

[I'm not fond of the term normal? Because I don't believe anyone or anything is? But that's an annoying semantics argument for another day. Also, I think I know what you mean - which is basically the people we all see daily.]

There are other shows that fit hyper-realism, which is shows that have people who aren't wearing a ton of makeup or high production values.

* The Wire

* The Bear

* The Pitt

Which are kind of frenetic hyper-realism, that's the category for this type of television series.

* This is Gonna Hurt

* Adolescence

They have in common a grittiness, the people look like people you'd see on the street. And the drama isn't melodramatic.

The cliche is often - focusing a bit too much on the dysfunction, and the pain. Although Somebody Somewhere for the most part handles that well, as does The Pitt.

[yourlibrarian]

I haven't seen either The Bear or The Pitt but I agree that The Wire was one of the most realistic things I'd ever seen on TV. Some of it was the people, but mostly it was the way that institutions fail, in part because people have conflicting motivations.