All right, anyone mind if I go on a bit of a rant here? Not about the kids on the show (yes, they're spoiled brats), nor about the show itself (yes, it's insipid). But about the people who are watching it.
To wit, all you lot who posted above.
I'm not here to pretend I'm better than you for not watching the show. (Technically, I haven't seen it except a clip or two on the Soup, but I've seen enough that I get the idea.) My question is more on of mindset. You see the show, you get upset.
Yes, the kids are shallow, stuck-up and ungrateful.
Yes, the parents are clueless.
People,
that's the point.
Look, I'm a really happy guy. I love my life. I love my partner, I love my job, I love my friends, I love my hobbies. But you'll never see my life as a reality TV show.
Because it's unbelievably dull. Because, to an outsider, it's boring beyond belief. You know why? No drama. No arguments. No conflict. The biggest conflict in my last 24 hours was "how to get around the downtown parade so we can get to the show". Real riveting television, huh?
So what's on Sweet 16? Rich people who have all sorts of things you can't afford. And - and this is the point - conflict. Fights. Misunderstandings. Teen angst over getting the wrong color car (and too early in the day).
My confusion is that viewers don't seem to understand that. A vital part of any book, story, movie and TV series is conflict. If there's no conflict to be resolved, there's no story. They watch Sweet 16 and say "Why is she such a bitch?" Because if she wasn't, you'd be watching a TV show about a nice kid getting a nice present, the kid would say "Thanks, you're the best, Mom", and the credits would roll.
And you'd never watch the damn show again. I see similar comments about the Real World. "Why is he such an asshole?" Because if he weren't, they'd all be sitting around the table playing Scrabble and sipping Fresca, and
you wouldn't bother watching.
Again, I'm not complaining that you're watching the show - watch what you'd like! But engage the brain a little. Do some defensive viewing. Ask some questions. The networks aren't showing shows like "Heroes" (to pick one show) because they feel the need to put up quality programming. They don't feel duty-bound to show good programming. They put it on because people watch it. If people didn't, they wouldn't show it - end of story. And viewed in this fashion, "Heroes" and "Sweet 16" are PRECISELY the same. They're television programs that are produced in the hopes of getting people to watch them, so they can sell some ad time.
Rant over.
Lex