Benjamin Brandall

Benjamin Brandall

Space landscape-obsessed dreck penman. Appears on TechCrunch, The Next Web, Fast Company. Covers the dark side of entertainment at Secret Cave.

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(Hyper) Reality Television

The scripted nature of television, when framed as reality TV, creates a paradoxical viewing experience. For those who know a show is scripted, there needs to be a theatrical suspension of disbelief, and those people will inherently react to it in a different way.

When we’re aware a show is scripted, it’s even possible to ignore that and get swept up in it as if it’s either 100% real life, or just gripping fiction.

Does reality TV need to be scripted because real life is too unpredictable and boring? Do we try and force ourselves to believe fiction or scripted ‘reality’ tv storylines for that reason?

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    Latest Comments

    Benjamin Brandall

    I love this as a history of influential fantasy games. I’ll use it to go back through the genre and give myself a more complete education. As for attributing the creation of Final Fantasy to Tolkien, though, I think Shakespeare is being overlooked. For me, FF shares more with Shakespeare as far as storytelling and themes goes than it does with Tolkien.

    The Influence of J.R.R. Tolkien on Modern Video Gaming
    Benjamin Brandall

    I’ve not owned a Nintendo console since the original Wii, but I’m hoping to get one of these. Disregarding most of these factors, I’d say the most important thing for me is whether the major franchise games (Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon) stand the test of time.

    There have been a few forgettable releases in that department in the past, but I’m holding on to a new classic coming out way.

    The Nintendo Switch: What It Needs To Succeed
    Benjamin Brandall

    Great piece. It’s also interesting you bring up tourism in relation to hyperreality. It made me wonder how public misremembering and misconception shapes tourists reactions to well known places when they visit for the first time. I’m wondering how many react to the Mona Lisa like I did when I first saw it: “Surely this isn’t the _real_ one? It’s too small.”

    Lost in Hyperreality: Entering The Museum of Tolerance