Is showing people’s bad sides interesting TV entertainment anymore, ponders Ismo Puljujärvi, editor of Iltalehti.
Sami Helenius, Julia Korpinen or Tommi Manninen will win Survivors on Sunday evening. Four
Crying, drama, fights and of course backstabbing. We are used to seeing these in reality TV series over the years. However, the last Survivor season made me think, is scheming any more interesting entertainment?
The Survivor format is genius. A group of competitors who have to survive in harsh conditions for a month. However, one by one they have to knock each other out of the game so that one can finally claim the jackpot.
Physical endurance does not directly bring profit, but you must also know how to play the social game. Along the way, words are eaten and alliances are broken.
However, singer Virpi Kätkä decided to play differently this season.
The singer, who reached the top four players, did not agree to vote out either of his allies. He decided to leave the competition at that and walk honorably out of Tribal Council.
– I’ve had my conscience say for two hours, not two days, that I can’t continue. I’ll end the game and wish you luck. Whichever one of you wins, I will be happy from the bottom of my heart, Kätkä justified his decision in the program.
The act could be described as showing a mental middle finger to the format.
His own words and the relationships he created meant more to Kätkä than the final victory. Of course, critics can criticize why go to the competition if you can’t “play”. Perhaps Kätkä’s decision was a good indication that you can also swim against the current.
We currently live in a world that seems to be bursting with threatening images. The corona pandemic drove people to different extremes, and the confrontation still hasn’t eased. The situation has also not been made easier by the war in Ukraine started by Russia and the resulting energy crisis.
Can I watch any more programs that want to bring out the bad sides of people?
I don’t.
I find that I much prefer to watch Tyttökult or Kumman kaa series. It’s easier to immerse yourself in a silly comedy than to watch grown people behave like bad brats.