'Survivor' 2013 Meltdown By Mini-Hantz - It Wouldn't Be Reality TV Without It

So Brandon Hantz "lost it," again on Survivor 2013.  How do you feel about that?

That's the question posed, but at times, one has to wonder.  Brandon Hantz, who is related to another loose canon, has shown time and time again, what a loose canon he (or any related Hantz) can be.

It seems appalling to have put the man back in the show and yet, to watch him cycle between sane appearing and bonkers in those first few episodes was confusing.  At first I thought he was going to play the sane card.  But then he put that back in the deck for something else.  Then he seemed sane again.  But alas, that was not to be the case. 

And through it all, the TV audience loves a good train wreck... or they wouldn't watch reality TV.

And that's what this was, good reality TV.  Good meaning, it generated ratings, it generated interest and it generated conversation about the show after the fact.

Drama is the backbone of all reality TV.  Haven't you ever wondered just how The Bachelor always gets nutcase villains in the crowd of single, desperate women? (Or men in the case of the Bachelorette)  Or how Big Brother always gets some dick-headed twit?  Look at The Apprentice... they brought back Omarosa, the all-time greatest reality TV villain.

Face it, if these shows were staffed with boring people, they would not last.  The only real kind of shows that seem to be based on a real competition (or so it still appears) are the singing/performing types.  That is, if they can keep it fresh and the viewers rooting for the good performers.

The Voice is returning with two new faces.  American Idol has two new faces. (Though I'm not sure it's hurting or helping.)

But when you stand back and question the validity of reality TV... it's cheap to make, huge money maker for the advertisers and since you and/or your neighbors eat it by coming home and plopping down on the couch to soak it up, well, it's working.

Something to digest:  Hey, in it's hay-day, the 1962 series, The Beverly Hillbillies, despite it's obvious tone, was the most popular show on TV for quite some time, lasting nine seasons.

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Yea, Hantz seemed like he was out of control and over-the-top on Survivor.  But were you really surprised, or vindicated in how your suspicions paid out about the man.  It sucked that he tossed the group's food.  But did you notice that despite his tone, everything he said about Phillip was spot on?  Yea, there was something to be said about that.  Too bad he wrapped it up in his emotional outburst of a fit.

And is Phillip really as a demented as he seems?  I think I can't help myself as I will touch on the man in a latter piece.  But for now, the island is safe once again, and it's time for a new pretty face/character to step up and become the latest and greatest threat to the tribe.

UPDATE:

Oh what a classic!  In January, Jeff Probst addressed the issue of whether Hantz was stable enough to tackle this "game" again. 

"Probst says that Brandon was indeed vetted by the show’s psychologist before returning to play."

Hmm, vetted how?  As a ratings soundbyte?   Check it out at EW's Inside TV site.
 

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