Lots of networks, businesses, publishers, and ambitious panhandlers have been hard a work trying to puzzle out the best way to cash in on the success of The Hunger Games this year, prompting an alarming uptick in plastic pink archery sets and cute little jumpers with bird pins on them, because every parent wants their child to look just as poor and filthy as they will on the day they might be chosen to die for our amusement.
The Hunger Games phenomenon is still hot hot hot! with disposable-income-dropping young people. Scheming entrepreneurs have eagerly skipped right through the puddles of blood because THOSE DOLLA DOLLA BILLS, Y’ALL, they aren’t going to leap off the platform and snatch themselves out of the cornucopia.
Hey, a little merchandising never hurt anyone, right? Have you seen my soul around here anywhere?
But, beyond Post-Apocalyptic Coal-Mine Barbie and a glut of very obviously plagiarized heroines leaping around in the woods, nobody has had balls big enough to take the next “logical” step towards society’s demise: actually recreating the scenario of the Games as part of a reality TV gimmick with real human beings. Nobody, right? Because that would be crazy and an indication that the lessons in the book had gone right over our heads, right? Mmmhmm. Nobody.
Hey! On a completely unrelated note yesterday the CW Network announced two new reality series in the works for their upcoming schedule, including one standard match-the-genitals dating show and one “intense” reality experience where pairs must survive the elements while hunting down the other contestant teams in a series of traps and running for their lives from genetically engineered dogs– wait. You guys. I don’t want to be rash but this is sounding kind of familiar.
THE HUNT is an intense wilderness competition taking place over one month, as 12 teams of two are provided no food, water, or shelter, but must compete in a game where they’ll rely on their physicality, survival skills, and hunting skills to endure their conditions, capture one another, and ultimately win a huge cash prize.
“I… uh….”
So here’s what I’ve got:
1. The Hunger Games explores the ruinous effects of a culture which views “reality violence” as entertainment.
2. Everyone loves The Hunger Games! Reading party!
3. Actual network attempts to capitalize on its success by creating a reality show based on a reality show meant to teach us about how destructive reality shows are.
4. Climb under your desk and wait for the end of days.
Now, of course, for legal purposes I’m sure The Hunt will have “absolutely nothing” to do with The Hunger Games books/movies and they’ve mentioned nothing above about the contestants being kids. These poor saps exciting heroes will most likely be of consenting age and – prepare yourselves – no one will actually DIE. This isn’t exactly HBO either, so their options to up the drama and keep people engaged will have to run more along the lines of Survivor than Oz.
These major caveats present the producers with two possible scenarios: Either it will be a weak, half-strength version of The Hunger Games, counting on viewers sticking-around based on premise loyalty alone, OR – they’ll be forced to make significant enough changes that things will get interesting, though since we’re on season 21,03875759 of Survivor WHAT NEW THINGS COULD THEY POSSIBLY SHOW US BESIDES REAL MURDER?
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About Jamie Jamerson
