I was just browsing through the cable listings trying to find something to watch and came to the realization that I’m getting sick of senseless shows. I want something that actually engages my brain when I’m watching. Most of what’s on these days is this “reality” TV junk.

Why do people watch this stuff? Anyone with a brain knows that the vast majority of it isn’t actually reality, it’s staged. It’s all about drama and conflict and showing people do stupid stuff. It’s not worth watching. Most of the reality TV is just garbage, like Jersey Shore and “Real” Housewives of wherever. And what the heck is a Honey BooBoo and why should anyone care? It’s senseless. Then the other part of reality television is made up of watching someone else work, like Ice Road Truckers or things of that nature.

Now, I don’t hate all of the stuff classified as reality TV. I watch Pawn Stars now and then because I like to learn about the things that come into the shop, and they tend to give a lot of cool details and history about the things they get. I watch Face Off, but that’s all about the art of makeup and fabrication, so it’s cool and interesting to me as an artist. I almost gave up on it last season because they were inserting drama, but they quit this year, so I’m sticking with it.

I can’t figure out why people watch the rest of reality TV. Is it really entertaining to watch someone else work? How many times can you see someone dig up a speck of gold or drive a load across some ice before you get bored? How can people watch the rest of the brain rot that’s all about people lying, back-stabbing, and being shallow wastes of space? If you were watching made-up TV like CSI: NY or The New Normal, at least you know it’s not real, it’s just entertainment. (Of course, that makes me want to go off on how stupid and juvenile “comedy” shows are these days.)

I’m actually trying to seek out educational shows and “edutainment” [shows that you learn something from, but in a fun way]. Unfortunately, there’s none of that OnDemand, so I’m going to have to search online. What educational or edutainment shows do you watch? If they can be found online, where do you go? I’d really like to have some things to watch that don’t make me feel like my IQ is plummeting by the second.

Image: Public Domain, Morguefile

Briana Blair

Briana Blair is an author and artisan. She has published more then 30 books and thousands of articles across multiple sites. After practicing Paganism and witchcraft for 25 years, she's now on a journey as an atheist and skeptic. She's eclectic, unpredictable, and always evolving. Facebook - Twitter