Mixed martial arts appeals to many fans because the promotions in charge make sure to pedal in-cage authenticity. Blood drips unscripted, kicks breach the strength of protective cups -- some men achieve their goals while others fail. Fighting exposes genuine emotion for viewers in real time; reality television is manufactured melodrama.
The possible exposure is too much for Bellator to ignore, and on Tuesday they announced the promotion would be entering the world of reality programming in 2013. On the quick, the choice looks to be a profit and exposure-driven decision for Viacom to mimic the rapid growth of the UFC after that company introduced "The Ultimate Fighter" in 2005. The details of Bellator's show aren't known, though it can be assumed they will borrow heavily from the platforms of existing reality television shows.
Reality television is not reality, and though that now seems self-evident to anyone who has sat through three hours of programming on Bravo, it's a concept that was first actualized during the obscenely successful run of "The Hills" on MTV. After a few seasons of watching West Coast debutants attack each other for boyfriend-snatching, the show turned into a series of scripts crafted by half-realized writers, and acted by the likes of Audrina Patridge and Spencer Pratt. The show lost its audience when even the previously unadulterated moments of alcohol-fueled tirades had been violated by the unmistakable smudge of a writer's ink.
Bellator has become an original MMA promotion by focusing their energies on preserving the validity of the tournament-style championship system. They've held up against the pressures of fans that want to see more super-fights and title defenses instead of quarterfinal and semifinal matchups between also-rans. Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney defends his model well and for his efforts landed him under the ownership of Viacom, a company with deep pockets and access to network television.
The Bellator brand is now risking that brand by re-drafting what's already been done by a competing organization. The reality show does have promise -- it's being led by the co-creator of the "Amazing Race," Betram van Muster, a good sign for the creative latitude the network is willing to extend Bellator.
The fundamental problem with reality television is that you can't mine the complexity of individual characters. The format's time restrictions typically demand a limited depiction of even the most complicated personalities. Scripted, character-driven shows have performed better in recent years because of this failure -- writers recognized the inability of an hour-long program to produce more than cursory feelings among an audience. Shows like "The Killing" and "Mad Men" have recruited and retained eyes by portraying their characters conflicting strengths and weaknesses, and specifically by not by making them single-minded lady-killers (a la Mike "The Situation" of the "Jersey Shore.")
Fans of the UFC and mixed martial arts welcomed the original Ultimate Fighter because it was a well-edited exposure of the fighting subculture and featured talented athletes who would later become main draws. That formula has changed in recent years (even before "TUF:Live") when executives sought to bring in more of a reality television component to the show, even as it risked of the quality of incoming fighter.
The low points of the UFC's "The Ultimate Fighter" production typically occurred in the fighter's house where petty differences between contestants were promoted by the reality television recipe for "unscripted" drama: limited access to entertainment, close living quarters and limitless alcohol (It's the same formula used on "The Bachelor.") Since the show became more about the crazy actions of individuals and how they interact in the house as opposed to in the cage, the fighting talent has suffered even as ratings increased. The show hasn't produced a UFC Champion since Matt Serra in 2006.
Bellator shouldn't create a show that lives as homage to the wacky life of fighters preparing for their shot at the big leagues. The show, which almost certainly won't escape some creative editing, could find a niche is exposing the real conflicts many of these fighter's face in making a living inside the cage. There is room for a new type of reality show, if the producers are seeking to make their debut something that challenges the status quo, rather than an attempt to imitate an existing, and largely defunct model. Or put another way, create a reality show that's actually real.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now