F is for 'Fail' - and 'Fake'

On March 23 this year, I posted a blog about the impending return of reality TV series Big Brother on Australian TV screens (which will happen some time after the Olympics) and in the blog I also wrote briefly about a then-upcoming reality show called The Shire which, apparently, was supposed to be Australia's answer to the US series Jersey Shore. I wrote that it was likely going to be a train-wreck featuring a bunch of try-hards, idiots and fake personalities, would make viewers question their sanity, would make a laughing stock out of the Sutherland Shire area and would attract critics from all angles.
Interestingly, when comparing Big Brother and The Shire I recommended that viewers go with the latter, simply because Big Brother is always guaranteed to be a virtual repeat (if not a worse version) of the previous season whereas The Shire was something new.

Well, The Shire is currently on the airwaves and just as good ol' Bernd predicted, it was an absolute train-wreck, triggering the kind of wide-ranging backlash that hasn't been seen since Julia Gillard unleashed the Carbon Tax and Kraft released the isnack2.0 (later renamed Cheesybite). I didn't watch it myself but based on what I read in news reports and friends' posts on facebook thank God that I was smart enough not to, all due respect to anyone who did. I read people called the show 'crap', 'rubbish', 'drivel', 'piece of shit' and of course, the oft-used 'The Shite'.
Meanwhile, media outlets and news reports wrote about the show in a mainly negative light. They commented that the show made a mockery of its setting and criticised the cast for their fake, shallow personalities, for portraying negative stereotypes and even some of the girls for their fake body parts. The show's creators were shamed and facebook groups have been set up petitioning for the show's cancellation.

The Sutherland Shire's mayor Carol Provan was especially harsh in her criticism of the show, particularly towards the female characters whom she branded as 'tarts' and even took a shot at the Sydney suburb that two of the show's more notorious cast members originally came from. Speaking of which, as it turns out at least seven of the show's main characters (including over-tanned, surgically-enhanced bimbos Vernessa and Sophie, the show's two most notorious characters) don't even live or work in the Shire area. However, channel 10's programming boss David Mott stated that as long as cast members were willing to 'live, work and play in The Shire' (ie: be a part of the show), then they were ok.
But which ever way you look at it, the show was deemed a massive fail for the Ten network and appalled many, particularly angry and embarrassed locals whose community are still trying to shake off the negative image cast by the 2005 Cronulla Race Riots.

Sophie and Vernessa

Ok, I hate to sound like an insensitive jerk, I can only imagine how many viewers are hurting right now for losing 30 precious minutes that they'll never recover, but to the viewers who are complaining about having their life, time and energy wasted, what the hell did you expect? When TV shows try to imitate another they usually fail (the US version of The Office turned out to be a success so I guess there are exceptions to the rule) and a show that tries to imitate one already known for trashiness and controversy is all but guaranteed to be a prize stinker. You should have known that before you flicked onto channel 10 at 8pm on Monday night.
Yes, it's ok to vent about how bad the show was and how angry you were for watching - I would have done exactly the same if I did, but in the end it was your own fault for getting fooled into watching it in the first place and not having the guts to switch channels or switch off the TV when the show got worse. Just saying.

As for the people lamenting that Australian TV has come to this, keep your chins up. Judging by the criticism that this show is getting, I'd imagine that it will be axed pretty soon, if not only last for one short season. If Yasmin's show can get axed before she could find her groom I'm sure a bunch of fake, shallow try-hards can be given the heave-ho before the party's over.

Well, that's about it. The people of the Sutherland Shire area have something new to be embarrassed about, a bunch of viewers have been left angry and in utter disbelief and God forbid but if this show was to be broadcast in other parts of the world (good God, I hope that hasn't happened yet!) it would make the good people of Australia look like fools.n Well played, creators and channel 10.

For all that, Bernd gives you an F for Fail - and Fake.