As we come to the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century we reflect upon the fine television that graced our screens over the course of the preceding ten years. Sure, television drama reached new heights thanks to the wonder of HBO, but if this time will be remembered for anything, it will be for the advent of reality television.
As a genre it seemed to capture people’s imaginations as thanks to programs like
Survivor and
Big Brother we all obsessed and watched with voyeuristic glee. Some call it the modern version of Rome’s Gladiator games where blood lust was replaced for schadenfreude of unprecedented kind, or, as
Beauty and the Geek so kindly reminds us, some have justified the genre as a “social experiment” furthering human knowledge.
Either way it sure has been a lot of fun.
In honour of all those hundreds of ex-reality TV stars whose dreams of stardom remain unfulfilled and are currently stacking shelves at your local supermarket, we have looked back at the top ten most memorable reality TV moments. These are those precious television instances when we watched with absolute shock, awe and amazement at the depths that television had reached, and may I add, loved every minute.
10. Jason dumps Melissa on The Bachelor
So the guy narrows down a bevy of desperate ladies to one, and then decides to dump her on live television. Awesome.
9. Tyra Banks on America’s Next Top Model
Composure and self control went out the door with this unexpected rant and bouts of nuttiness.
8. Richard Hatch on Survivor US All Star
The beauty of the human form was used for evil as television’s first “genital rubbing” incident was brought upon us.
7. Someone is watching us from Turkey
The shock was in store for the contestants of this “show” as they eventually realised that, in a plot twist straight out of a horror film, they were being held hostage and their footage was being streamed through the net. Turkish police soon rescued the women after their families became concerned.
6. There’s Something About Miriam
I’ll let the clip explain this one…
5. Verne Troyer on The Surreal Life
Mini-me suddenly wasn’t so funny anymore.
4. Jonny “Fair Play” on Survivor US
In order to gain sympathy from the rest of the group he concocts, together with a visiting friend, an outright lie claiming his grandmother had died. It was horrible for sure, but great TV.
3. Lisa Mitchell and Bobby Flynn on Australian Idol Season 4
After years of vacuous and easily replaceable pop drones the show actually found some decent talent. Astonishing given the fact that it hasn’t happened since.
2. Turkey slap incident on Big Brother Australia 2006
Rarely does television introduce a new term into the Australian vernacular or get so much attention that even our PM at the time felt the need to comment. Boredom and stupidity collided in one of the most controversial TV moments of the decade.
1. Susan Boyle on Britain’s Got Talent
Surely not the greatest singer of all time but for a while there it seemed as though the world was in absolute shock and awe at the impassioned harmonious sounds that sprouted from Susan’s deceptive demeanour.