I was pretty unable to tear myself away from the TV set last weekend when I saw The Discovery Channel's "The Deadliest Catch" at a friend's house.
I rarely turn on my TV, and I don't have cable, so maybe it's really not anything special, but I found myself marveling about how -- using material that is true and not made-up (like in the reality shows where the suspense is all fake and created for the viewer) -- they were able to present the lives of these Alaskan crab fisherman in a way that hooks the viewer (even someone like me with the attention span of a fly).
They introduce you to the characters so you feel like you know them a bit, set the scene, weave in educational tidbits so well that you don't even realize you're learning about crab fishing and the difference between opilio and king crabs.
And of course, there's the reality that any of these guys could get killed or seriously injured at any time. So many turning points and small-but-crucial decisions made for good suspense. I was fascinated.
I rarely turn on my TV, and I don't have cable, so maybe it's really not anything special, but I found myself marveling about how -- using material that is true and not made-up (like in the reality shows where the suspense is all fake and created for the viewer) -- they were able to present the lives of these Alaskan crab fisherman in a way that hooks the viewer (even someone like me with the attention span of a fly).
They introduce you to the characters so you feel like you know them a bit, set the scene, weave in educational tidbits so well that you don't even realize you're learning about crab fishing and the difference between opilio and king crabs.
And of course, there's the reality that any of these guys could get killed or seriously injured at any time. So many turning points and small-but-crucial decisions made for good suspense. I was fascinated.
No comments:
Post a Comment