Let me just say up front that I love reality TV. Especially Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Biggest Loser, American Idol and The Apprentice. These I consider to be the top echelon of Reality television. I'm currently watching "Armed & Famous" and it is strong as well. Time will only tell if it becomes a classic.
I've also been known to dip into the lower regions of Reality Television, occasionally catching an episode of Hogan Knows Best, Flava of Love, America's Next Top Model, and The Surreal Life, and it is typically in these shows that you find the most annoying Reality TV device known to man. It is called "the awkward pause".
Now don't get me wrong. I find the awkward pause as hilarious as the next guy. My problem is with the "manufactured" awkward pause. This is where they edit the scene adding filler video to stretch the pause out and make it last for what seems like eternity with the characters making weird faces at each other, (only they actually made these faces some other time and were spliced back into the scene)
Unfortunately, it's incredibly lame! I suppose it was funny the first time. But man, every episode now has to include the manufactured awkward pause! How dumb do they think we are? Like we are supposed to believe that these characters are always saying something soooo outrageous that everyone has to stop and stare at them for 15 seconds. It's during these times that I want to shoot my television.
C'mon reality television, you can do better that that.
