追根究底
Bruce、Bernice
Today, so-called reality television can be found around the world. One of the earliest such programs was the 1948 show Candid Camera . Candid Camera showed ordinary folks’ reactions to pranks or jokes. This style remains common to this day.
However, it was two shows from the late ’80s and early ’90s that inspired more modern reality TV. Cops showed select interactions between the police and the public, while MTV’s The Real World aimed to give people a view of the lives of young adults. In each season of the show, a group of young strangers shared a house in a new city. The central attraction, of course, was that everything in the house was recorded. What made the show more appealing were the confessionals, in which cast members confessed and shared their thoughts— often complaints—on camera.
One of the next big hits was Survivor . The show was based on a series that aired in 1997 in Sweden called Expedition : Robinson . Survivor featured players trying to survive on an island with only a few tools. Each week, the survivors voted to kick out one player, until only one remained. Contest reality shows have been popular ever since.
這到底是真實世界還是只是虛構幻想?
今日所謂的真人實境節目在全世界處處可見。這類節目其中最早的一齣就是 1948 年的《隱藏攝影機》。《隱藏攝影機》呈現了普通人對於惡搞或是開玩笑所做出的反應。這類的節目風格直至今日仍十分普遍。
然而,兩齣分別來自八○年代晚期及九○年代初期的節目啟發了更接近現代的真人實境節目。《條子》(編按:亦有別稱《警界》)呈現了精選的警察與社會大眾的互動,而 MTV(編按:全名為音樂電視網)播出的《真實世界》則是旨在將青年的生活面貌呈現給觀眾。該節目的每一季中,一群互不相識的年輕人會共同居住在一座新城市的一棟房子裡。最主要的賣點,當然就在於那間房子裡的一切都會被錄下來。讓這個節目更引人入勝的地方在於有「告解室」,參與拍攝的演員會在鏡頭前告解並吐露心聲 ── 經常都是抱怨。
之後最熱門的其中一個節目就是《我要活下去》。該節目是立基於 1997 年於瑞典播出的一齣稱為《探險魯賓遜》的節目。《我要活下去》主打參賽者嘗試只用一些工具在一座島上求生。每週生存下來的人會表決踢除一位參賽者,直到最後只剩下一人倖存。競賽類的真人實境節目從此也就變得非常受歡迎。