Scripted TV drama does very little for me. Feels limited, and kinda hokey. You know the scripting routine. A bunch of writers and jaded executives try to drum up a plot line with "high stakes"-- often involving guns and/or the end of the world. Reality TV, on the other hand, has a fresh team of writers-- the performers themselves. The result is you can get a more nuanced view of life from reality TV and it gets more popular by the day.
I caught two reality shows last night that I don't know that well-- a Kardashian segment called "Kourtney and Khloe Do the Hamptons," or something to that effect, and "Nellyville," a new BET show profiling the rap singer and some of his youthful inner circle.
The show featuring Nelly and what looked to be two teenage sons and a teenage niece had a nice appeal. All the kids had a gangly, sincere quality that stands apart from child actors. One boy struggled with a football injury, possibly career-ending. Nelly asked the kid if he had a Plan B, should football not work out. The young guy came up with "I could be a football analyst," as a career option and Nelly challenged him to offer some football commentary right on the spot. The kid admitted he had nothing to day. At least he amused by his own lack of commentating chops. The youngster smiled and, have to admit, Nelly had done a nifty piece of instant parenting. Later in the show, the youngster tossed a football with his older brother tossed on the sands on a LA beach. They counseled each other-- a nice exchange-- and the brother even thanked his older sibling!
The niece, a 18 year old girl with aspirations to be a model, wanted badly to participate in a twerking class with a more mature woman, seemed to be Nelly's significant. Nelly had sternly warned not to allow the 18 year old to twerk. It didn't work and they had but a great scene in twerking class where the youngster could not help herself. She twisted, turned and moved around until she finally worked her way into the action. And she's a great dancer.
The entire crew of kids and pater familias visited the set of "Real Husbands of Hollywood," another BET show, featuring Nelly, Kevin Hart and Nick Cannon. The show's co-producer showed the kids around and got some nice laughs comparing his fitness level and physique to the show's stars. The kids seemed happy to have a more educated view of the world of TV and we viewers got a similar feeling of contentment from the time spent in the company of Nelly and family.
Maybe I'll skip a discussion of the Kardashians-- and stick with "Nellyville" as a prime example of the positive side of reality TV.
