Last week, Steven Isaac lamented the disappointing coarsening of television, particularly broadcast television. Then Bob Hoose poked fun at reality TV (though I’d definitely tune into watch the version of Knitting Wars crafted by our intrepid commenters).
But what if I told you that television can be (gasp) inspiring? And reality television especially so?
Yeah, this is about the time when you start writing to my co-workers and asking them to check my vitals. It’s hard to believe, perhaps, that reality TV—the same genre that gave us such shows as Jersey Shore, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Amish Mafia might be the source of anything remotely worth your remote. But it’s true. Really.
I just finished reviewing Family Addition With Leigh Anne Tuohy (who you might remember from The Blind Side as Sandra Bullock) on the UP channel. In the show, Leigh Anne and “Team Tuohy” help families become—well, families. Sometimes that means giving them support as they try to adopt a child. At others, they might just help redesign a room for a new family member. But every episode of Family Addition is geared toward crafting a space called “home,” in every sense of the word.
Then there’s The Moment on USA featuring Kurt Warner (the first season ended in May, but casting is already underway for next year). Inspired by Warner’s own improbable and well-documented rise from grocery bagger to NFL quarterback, the show gives other folks the same sort of opportunity—not to be a pro athlete, necessarily, but to realize long-lost dreams of becoming a photographer or gourmet chef. But the “contestants” are only given the chance—not the job itself. To move into what may well be their dream career, they must earn it.
Over on GSN, of course, you’ve got The American Bible Challenge (which wrapped up its second season this May). Yeah, granted, a Christian review site is bound to like any show that blatantly and unironically uses the word Bible in its name. But there’s more going on than just Good Book trivia. The contestants here compete for money, but not for themselves: They’re playing to earn money for some worthwhile charities, the backstories of which we in the television audience learn about as they progress through the show. Not only is American Bible Challenge surprisingly entertaining, but it can convict viewers to maybe dig into their pockets and donate to these or other worthwhile causes themselves. That in itself is worth some props, I think.
There are other reality programs that offer a bit of inspiration with their entertainment. Undercover Boss on CBS is reliably heartwarming. The Amazing Race can feature some positive relationships and moments of tenderness. Many game-based reality programs bank on their contestants’ inspirational backstories to drive viewership. And the list goes on.
Many of these shows have a bit of a Christian subtext to them, of course—even though there’s very little preaching (even in American Bible Challenge) going on in any of them. Kurt Warner and Leigh Anne Tuohy are well-known Christians. Family Addition airs on the inspirationally oriented UP network, formerly GMC. Reality shows like Undercover Boss, Amazing Race and others sometimes acknowledge the role that faith plays in the lives of those featured—making them rare avenues with which religion can be taken seriously and soberly discussed.
Now, these shows aren’t for everyone. In addition to content issues that can arise (swearing can be a bugaboo, particularly in broadcast network reality shows). Some can be hokey. A few can feel a little contrived.
But for those who say that “there’s nothing good on TV anymore”—with the word good meaning stuff that actually gives you a better view of human nature, rather than a worse one—that’s not really true. For those looking for a little inspiration on the dial, it’s there if you look.
You just sometimes have to look a little harder, that’s all.
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