So, I have two female roommates, three girls all with boyfriends, living together in an apartment... On Friday night we sat around having a roommate night and watched Say Yes to the Dress on TLC. The show consists of several bridal consultants that are assigned to a bride for an appointment to find their "perfect" wedding dress.
Sitting there watching this show, I had only seen maybe once to twice before, we fantasized about going to New York City to have an appointment with a bridal consultant to find our perfect wedding dresses. As we watched all of the brides try on dress after dress and show their families and friends to ask for opinions, it was commercial breaks that made the show interesting. During the commercials we talked about the dresses that we each liked and why, we commented on what we wanted our own weddings to be like and how differently we would do things not only from the show but from each other.
The shows played one after another and seemed to flow from one to the next and before we knew it we had been watching, talking, and fantasizing, for three hours. There really wasn't much to the show, but for some reason we just could not stop watching. Did we stay fixed to the TV because we were enjoying the show or because we just became engulfed by the ideas we developed from watching other women have what every girl dreams of?
Before we went to bed that night, we talked about why we just couldn't change the channel. My one roommate said that it was the dreaming about our futures that kept us glued to our TV. The other said it was the comical aspect of the show, watching the brides be complimented on how beautiful a dress was or how blunt and honest their friends and families were when the absolutely hated what they had on. My thoughts, we were mesmerized by both a fantasy as well as comedic interest. I feel that as a view I am not only more drawn to this bridal store in New York, but I am also thrown into this whirlwind of society where when growing up, every little girls dreams of a big princess dress, and in reality not everyone gets that. Especially after not really watching this show before, I feel that it encourages women to fulfil that inner princess but it also shows how different every one's ending turns out.
I've watched that before too with my sisters and we love to watch it because its fun to try and imagine what kind of wedding dresses we will have someday. I think that the simplicity of the show allows people to think less about what's happening, and more about what the viewer wants in that situation. I think it's also one big advertisement for that shop. I admit, I had never heard of that place before but now I wish that I could get the money to get a dress from there.
ReplyDeleteI think it's also fun to watch other people either really happy or really upset over something so simple. It's simple entertainment with real situations that we can relate to in some way and I think that the anxiety felt by these women is relateable for some people.
I think reality shows are able to keep you "glued" to the t.v. because they spark our personal interests in some way. All of your friends enjoyed spending time together talking and watching an idea that all of you can talk about and elaborate on. Reality shows allow us to use or imagination because they are real situations with real emotions and real people. Its pretty crazy to see how such a small concept can create a huge idea. Shows such as this one do set some type of tone or persona for women to live by in terms of marriage, and that's how reality television can somewhat control today's society and people's individual interests.
ReplyDeleteI too, have found myself "glued" to this show. It seems so ridiculous! I'm already married, and I'm still fantasizing about the "perfect" gown. I agree that shows like this play with our emotions. It's interesting to see the ways that you helped your friends "continue" the discussion beyond their viewing of the show.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what everyone is saying here. I enjoy watching reality shows because it tends to be more exciting then everyday life. And it is nice to imagine that we can live the lives these people on tv are living. The fact that reality shows are unscripted also brings a great amount of interest. Everything is unexpected and that is what makes it exciting to watch; never knowing what will happen next.
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