I’m watching both of these shows in their entirety and I don’t know why they’ve historically gotten so much backlash. One reviewer called TBL “a dumpster fire of a TV show” and others seem to think M6L is downright abusive. However, I can’t find anything particularly bad in either.

Although it’s true that in TBL the contestants are losing an egregious amount of weight each week, it’s likely (actually almost certain) that most of this is water weight and it would have been more dangerous to instead not lose the weight. The intense exercise scenes seem pretty typical for anybody who’s serious about athletics. Finally, the famous “damaged metabolism” study that shut down TBL turned out to be debunked due to “damaged metabolism” being a boring, normal adaptation under high physical activity.

And although there are tons of bare naked shower scenes in M6L, everyone knew that going in and they agreed anyway. Some also complain how the stars don’t receive enough support for things like therapy and other cost centers. I would say that would actually have been a great thing to add, but it would be impractical at scale and have a high chance of bankrupting the production with how much healthcare costs, resulting in a net loss of benefit for those who need the surgery.

So, what’s your viewpoint here?

  • dream_weasel
    2·
    9 months ago

    Sure people would watch that. Especially if some people got help and turned around. Hoarders, intervention, M600L, my strange addiction, love on the spectrum, wife swap to some extent etc etc etc all have similar themes and have huge viewerships. They are not mean spirited, though they are not super intellectual, and show different aspects of the human condition and humanize the people in those situations.

    If anything, at least if you watch a show like m600L you can see how under the weight there is a real person with deep trauma, instead of just thinking “Look at this guy who can’t put down the fork”.

    There are better things on TV for sure, but had OP said GoT the top comment would be parallel universe you saying something about it being just gore, sex, and revenge porn, or Sopranos and someone saying it’s a wholesale misrepresentation of Italian Americans, or breaking bad being about glorification of drugs and reckless lifestyle. Maybe we should all just read instead.

    • fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.de
      2·
      9 months ago

      You seem to have overlooked the exploitative part.

      If these were charities, helping people manage health issues with no cameras, that would be great - but that’s not what these are.

      Someone is making money off the plight of these people.

      It wouldn’t be very engaging if it were “watch healthy normal Jane wash the dishes”, would it.

      Additionally, producers put significant effort into fomenting drama. Just dirty tricks like long bus rides in the early hours followed by 3 hours of standing around waiting for something with no breakfast - hoping that some poor contestant will crack and say something snippy for the camera.

      • dream_weasel
        1·
        9 months ago

        You’ve described basically every unscripted TV show, and it is totally fine if you don’t like them. Everyone is getting paid including the participants, and yes manufacturing drama where possible is what makes it better than watching James quietly eat a salad or watch Karen sort through the pictures in her extra-full house.

        All that notwithstanding, there is still an audience for this kind of programming and it drives more awareness than basically any charity ever could.