We all have them, you know, those shows that we watch but don’t like to advertise that we do to others? Usually it’s because we worry about what others will think of us for watching a show that may be too “low brow” for them. I watch two shows that I consider guilty pleasures. In the spirit of full disclosure and because this is a TV blog, I have no problem admitting that these shows are Secret Life of the American Teenager and The Marriage Ref.
Let’s start with Secret Life. This show is terribly written and acted, but it’s preposterous plot somehow seems to hook me every week. Everything about the lives of these characters is so exaggerated but the crazy drama it creates is addicting. The worst part of this show is definitely the way the teen characters talk about sex so matter-of-factly. No one I know talks like that. It’s so bad that it becomes comical. So why do I watch it? Well as I said, the over-the-top plots have an addictive quality; I just need to know what’s going to happen to these flat characters. I have to say, it also makes me feel better about my own life knowing I did not mess myself up as badly as some of the characters did.
The cast of Secret Life of the American Teenager
And The Marriage Ref. This show is hit or miss, but when it’s funny, it’s hilarious. Some of the couples that they find to showcase are just so ridiculous that there’s no possible way they could be real. I’m sure they exaggerate the actual problem for the cameras. The real fun comes in the form of the celebrity judging panel. The first couple of episodes had some great judges, like Larry David and Ricky Gervais, but once the initial hype wore off the “celebrity” panel slid down into the C-level range and definitely detracted from the show. Why do I watch it? Well, let’s put it this way, when I’m married and have a problem, this show is a great way to get my 15 mins of fame, meet some “celebrities”, and get a free vacation.
DISCUSS: What are your guilty pleasure shows? Why do you think these shows would make people react negatively?
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